Re: Dreaming About Redesigning SQL

"Anthony W. Youngman" <thewolery_at_nospam.demon.co.uk> wrote in message news:<tpLsB7Bl+yg$Ewj3_at_thewolery.demon.co.uk>...
> In article <ba87a3cf.0310062207.1d09cff6_at_posting.google.com>, Seun Osewa
> <seunosewa_at_inaira.com> writes
> >One question that I think must be looked into is this: If SQL
> >databases are successful today, is it because:
> >** of the relational _model_ they are based on?
>
> This model, because it's mathematically provable, gives Computer
> Scientists the warm fuzzies ...

Mathematically provable? You are speaking nonsense.

> >** of the ease with which SQL can be used from within all programming
> >languages and as an interactive query language?
>
> This is an effect, not a cause. SQL is a naff query language - it's a
> mathematical notation (which is why computer scientists like it) but an
> absolute bummer for normal people.

Most people define normal by reference to themselves. When you speak of "normal people", I assume you use yourself as paradigm. I agree that most stupid, obstinately ignorant people will find SQL difficult, but they will find almost everything difficult.

> >I would also like to know the classical arguments against the network
> >model or other "pointer based" models. The only things I know are
> >that:
>
> The relational advocates believe that because their model is
> "mathematical" it must be better than anything else. And all too often
> they convince themselves that theirs is the only model based on maths -
> when in fact most of the others are too ...

Such as?

> >** using pointers to positions in memory or disk can be messy when
> >data has to be moved around. But then is seems there are several
> >simple ways to solve this, e.g. what I can only call "logical
> >pointers".
> >
> >** The difficulty of performing adhoc queries. but I want to think
> >that if there is a procedural (query?) language many of the advanced
> >features of SQL e.g. group by and sorting of the data can be done with
> >user-generated procedural code. Then I observe that most databases in
> >the world today are being accessed by asp, php or perl web scripts and
> >only recieve adhoc queries during the development stage. These
> >queries are written by developers who are skilled enough in procedural
> >programming not to have problems if they needed such code to access
> >the data.
>
> Jan thinks the DBA should determine how the database should be
> optimised. As a Pickie, I'm used to believing

...a lot of horseshit.

[horseshit snipped] Received on Thu Oct 09 2003 - 03:10:30 CEST