Re: Is relational theory irrelevant?

"Paul Vernon" <paul.vernon_at_ukk.ibmm.comm> wrote in message news:bpd3ko$gr4$1_at_gazette.almaden.ibm.com...
> "Serge Rielau" <srielau_at_ca.eye-bee-m.com> wrote in message
> news:bpc4ci$ogk$1_at_hanover.torolab.ibm.com...
> [snip]
> > When looking at relational algebra on one side and application
> > programers at the other there is one problem:
> > Application programers outnumber academicians by 100:1.
> > The application programer who truly understands realtional processing is
> > a rare exception.
>
> > Any company that tries to map the theory to teh praxis will therefore
> > have to make compromises between:
> > a) keeping the model clean
> > b) making the language usable by the users (application programers)
> > c) making the execution fast.
>
> BTW, I reject that a) and c) are mutually incompatible (in the long term)
>
> As for b), the compromise there is caused by lack of user education. And
the
> only solution is to properly educate them.

I disagree that it is really a lack of education, per se. The real problem is misguided education. Computer science educations that focus on procedural languages are stuck in the 1960's and in the days of assembly language. Frankly, I think it is criminal the way academia damages the minds of our youth.

When it comes right down to it, the relational model is very simple. I find it easy to explain to non-technical users whose minds are not polluted with while loops and pointer chases. Received on Tue Nov 18 2003 - 15:50:04 CET