Re: Modeling Data for XML instead of SQL-DBMS

From: David Cressey <dcressey_at_verizon.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 20:30:38 GMT
Message-ID: <OV80h.5757$Wz2.1770_at_trndny09>


"dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message news:1161894159.173333.173510_at_m7g2000cwm.googlegroups.com...
> David Cressey wrote:
> > "dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1161863476.352229.292860_at_i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > > David Cressey wrote:
> > > > "dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:1161809096.025872.244220_at_i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> > > > > David Cressey wrote:
> > > > > > "dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
> > > > > > news:1161778688.975810.241810_at_i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > > > > > > David Cressey wrote:
> > > > > > > > "dawn" <dawnwolthuis_at_gmail.com> wrote in message
> > > > > > > > news:1161775082.641612.23070_at_i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> > > > > > > > > mAsterdam wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > <Annotations>
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > dawn wrote:
> > > > > > > > > > > If working on a software project where all data are
> > persisted
> > > > > > > > > > /persisted/
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > > Ah, we are talking software development on an island,
not
> > > > > > > > > > about shared data.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Sure, we could assume that if it helps.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > If we assume that, then database theory becomes irrelevant.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Your definition of database would be what then? --dawn
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > There's no need for me to post yet another definition of
database in
> > > > this
> > > > > > ng. My
> > > > > > previous comment stands.
> > > > >
> > > > > OK, I looked up what I think is the most recent cdt glossary and
it
> > has
> > > > > this entry:
> > > > > <glossaryEntry>
> > > > > [Database]
> > > > > "A logically coherent collection of related real-world data
> > > > > assembled for a specific purpose." -- rephrased from
> > > > > "Fundamentals of Database Systems", Elmasri & Navathe.
> > > > >
> > > > > 1. Deluxe file system
> > > > > 2. Shared databank (E. Codd)
> > > > >
> > > > > </glossaryEntry>
> > > > >
> > > > > So, I will agree that if you equate "shared databank" with
"database"
> > > > > and you interpret shared to mean that it is shared by multiple
> > > > > companies (rather than simply multiple people or processes), then
> > > > > perhaps by def 2 this is not a database. But by pretty much any
other
> > > > > definition this is a database. Given that, I would suggest it is
> > > > > definitely relevant to databases and data modeling.
Agreed? --dawn
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > > I don't recall ever saying that it had to be shared among multiple
> > > > companies.
> > > >
> > > > I do think that, in order for database theory to be relevant, it has
to
> > be
> > > > shared among multiple partners. Those partners could all be in the
same
> > > > company, or they could be in different companies. They could be
using
> > the
> > > > same programming language, or different programming languages. They
> > could
> > > > be accountable to the same management, or they could be accountable
to
> > > > different managements. The point is that they are sharing data, and
> > they
> > > > aren't all under "our control" (to quote the phrase you used
elsewhere
> > in
> > > > this discussion.)
> > >
> > > So, think of this as a database that is shared in a way that it IS all
> > > under our control. Does that help clarify the question? --dawn
> > >
> >
> > As far as I'm concerned, there was nothing to clear up, except perhaps
for
> > the word "our".
> >
> > If the data and its model is all under YOUR control, then database
theory is
> > irrelevant to your question.
> > My prior comment stands.
> >
> > If it's all under MY control, you can bet it's not going to be stored
in
> > XML.

>

> Laughing. Are you saying that only people using SQL-DBMS tools get to
> claim there is or could be any theory associated with their efforts?
> If that is your position, are there at least industry "best practices"?
> If so, any clues where I might find them? --dawn
>

No, I'm not claiming any such thing. I'm just claiming that database theory is irrelevant to YOUR efforts.

As far as industry "best practices" and my own "best practices" goes, sometimes I agree with the consensus of the industry, and sometimes I don't. Received on Thu Oct 26 2006 - 22:30:38 CEST

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