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

From: Bob Badour <bbadour_at_pei.sympatico.ca>
Date: Mon, 01 May 2006 22:05:29 GMT
Message-ID: <JCv5g.1581$A26.41362@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca>

Alvin Ryder wrote:

> Marshall Spight wrote:
>

>>Alvin  Ryder wrote:
>>
>>>Marshall  Spight wrote:
>>>
>>>>And anyway, I wouldn't say the RM is the best tool for
>>>>*everything.* Just the best tool for data management.
>>>
>>>Only certain kinds of data, it's not very good for: temporal, spatial,
>>>logic, oo, multimedia, unstructured and document libraries, ... but yes
>>>it has some strengths too.
>>
>>The RM is a practical application of set theory. Is set theory
>>good for some kinds of data but not others? Set theory
>>is foundational. The analogy to what you are saying ("good
>>for some things, not for others") would be like saying that
>>some parts of a house need a foundation, but not others.
>>
>>What kinds of data can't you put in sets?
>>
>>Marshall

>
> Hmm, yes and no.
>
> The original RM was defined circa 1969/70 but was then extended by Codd
> (and others) many times and in many different directions. For instance
> in '79 Codd wrote "Extending the Relational Model to Capture More
> Meaning".
>
> Why extend the RM if it was set in stone and never needed maturing?
>
> He writes, "The intent is to capture (in a more or less formal way)
> more of the meaning of the data so that database design can become more
> systemetic and the database system itself can behave more intelligently
> ..."

I suggest, as soon as one sees someone anthropomorphize computers, one should question the direction the person is headed.

> But once we try to capture the "meaning" of data to provide more
> intelligence in the db, we enter a wide open never ending pursuit. Now
> we are not using sets in a blind way.

We never were using them in a blind way. Instead of all this useless and irrelevant crap, why don't you try to answer what Marshall actually asked?

> The areas I identified previously are widely accepted as worthy of such
> research and extension.

I will grant that among ignorants those misconceptions are widely accepted. But I suggest you not rely on the opinions of ignorants. Received on Mon May 01 2006 - 17:05:29 CDT