Re: Storing data and code in a Db with LISP-like interface

From: Neo <neo55592_at_hotmail.com>
Date: 22 Apr 2006 20:31:03 -0700
Message-ID: <1145763063.441777.273310_at_z34g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>


>You mentioned your 'judge' example in one of the other threads, so I thought
I'd answer your challenge.

Oh, no! You have cracked my challenge. I am now in debt for another $1000 (sorry, a running joke in c.d.t.). Actually I am trying specifically not to use the term "challenge" anymore, but people like David Cressey refer to my requests as such. Now instead, I assert a proposition and offer possible proof in the form of examples and request verification by encouraging other to post their solutions and compare steps, etc. Let me restate that assertion: the experimental db (aka database for dummies!) provides the most general/flexible method of representing things. It is my belief that any weakness/inflexibility at the data foundation eventually limits the full potential of the application built on top of it. However, currently and for many years to come, RMDB/SQL, LISP and Prolog will have better algorithms for processing whatever data they can store/recall from their fundamental data structures. Just for the record, I consider RM to be the next most general/flexible data model.

Also, there are two judge examples in this thread. The court judge example and the food judge example. The court judge example is the more complex. The food judge example was a quickie where I was trying to demonstrate to TopMind that the db4d could create the equivalent of tables, attributes and values of various/multiple types at run-time without user having to specify a schema and the data would be auto-normalized.

Another thing I find amazing is someone actually was able to understand the script well enough to post an alternate solution! An you said you Prolog is rusty :)

Hopefully TopMind will join in with a RM solution and we can compare some basic things and then proceed to verify additional things (especially flexibility to represent things :)

I have run out of time today and will lookover your Prolog solution in greater detail tomorrow. Thanks. Received on Sun Apr 23 2006 - 05:31:03 CEST

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