Re: the relational model of data objects *and* program objects

A curious reply.

Kenneth Downs wrote:
> What about the manifest intuitive appeal to the human mind of
information
> stored in tabular format? Given how this organization keeps being
> reinvented in the forms mentioned above, perhaps we must demote RDM
to
> merely being one of the crowd of tabular organizations, and consider
that
> it may not be whole, complete, infallible and perfect.

In the software industry, RDM is sadly already demoted - hoping for a promotion soon. But as theory it's more than just tabular. I wouldn't claim RDM is any of whole, complete, infallible, and perfect, but given that it hasn't been given a fair shake in practice, it may also be useful yet.

Sure tables are intuitive - but I doubt our field would even be where it is if "intuition" drove our decisions. Not that intuition must be fought against, but it's hardly a complete set of evaluation criteria.

> New growth will not likely be as extensions to RDM, because it is
> self-limiting,

?

> but could very well come as more insight into what we can do
> with tabular data.

I was going to respond, but on further reflection I don't know what the above paragraph means.

• erk