Re: What is the logic of storing XML in a Database?

From: Bernard Peek <bap_at_alpha.shrdlu.com>
Date: 29 Mar 2007 20:17:40 GMT
Message-ID: <slrnf0o7c2.qpg.bap_at_alpha.shrdlu.com>


On 2007-03-29, David Cressey <cressey73_at_verizon.net> wrote:
>
> "Bernard Peek" <bap_at_alpha.shrdlu.com> wrote in message
> news:slrnf0mpvo.pr6.bap_at_alpha.shrdlu.com...
>> On 2007-03-28, JOG <jog_at_cs.nott.ac.uk> wrote:
>> > On Mar 28, 11:07 pm, Bernard Peek <b..._at_alpha.shrdlu.com> wrote:
>> >> I often describe myself as an engineer. I'm always looking for an
> "elegant
>> >> solution" too. But I'm basically in favour of XML because it rather
>> >> elegantly solves some problems for me.
>> >
>> > I'm intrigued. What problems does XML solve that could not be adressed
>> > in a more elegant way? I am yet to come across such a problem (and in
>> > my relatively short time on google's green earth I have written a lot
>> > of cod).
>>
>> The problems it solved for me aren't technical ones, they were business
>> problems with existing CSV files and the business processes that created
> and
>> used them.
>
> What business problems were those?

Two main ones. Firstly we were already using CSV files but the specifications for them were lost in the mists of time, so different companies used slightly different formats. Secondly the files were being prepared by hand and that resulted in the same company sending data in different formats on different occasions. One of the reasons that the files were prepared by hand is that the companies producing them were scared of accidentally leaking sensitive data. Despite this several companies did accidentally release some sensitive data, while the one company that used a completely automated process never did.

-- 
bap_at_shrdlu.com
In search of cognoscenti
Received on Thu Mar 29 2007 - 22:17:40 CEST

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