xml-dev - RE: Opinions requested

["Jeffrey E. Sussna" <jes@kuantech.com>]

I will not comment on the advisability of using an ODBMS, because 1) it's out of scope for this group, and 2) it's a highly religious topic. However, I will comment on the question of whether to store your data directly as XML, and confess that I don't understand the question. XML is a great interchange language; i.e., a way to move data between systems. Generally speaking, however, each particular system has its own optimal internal representation. In an RDBMS, for example, it's tables. In a Java program it's objects, and so forth. There is not (AFAIK) yet any such thing as an XDBMS (though you could consider a file system of XML documements plus a web server to resolve URL's to those documents as such a thing). Anyway, my approach would be to store data in the most natural format for the given storage technology, and define translations to and from XML to move data between systems.

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-xml-dev@ic.ac.uk [mailto:owner-xml-dev@ic.ac.uk]On Behalf Of
Chad Adams
Sent: Thursday, March 04, 1999 5:17 PM
To: xml-dev@ic.ac.uk
Subject: Opinions requested


Forgive me for the generic question, I'm to the point of betting the bank on
XML, and I'm looking for a pat on the back, or a voice of warning....

We are starting from scratch on our next generation product, from what I've
read and seen - xml seems to fit the bill (Content Management, mixed with
WIDL RPC functionality seems right up our alley).  I'm looking hard at ODBMS
systems and laying out the DB via xml (storing xlm directly).  We have a
wealth of in-house Java and COM/DCOM experience, but none with ODBMS or XML.

Do I understand it correctly that I at an item level, I can:
	1. name it (URI)?
		a. possible supply some security to it?
	2. revision it?
	3. meta-data it?
		a. can meta-data have meta-data?

Would I be foolish to base my whole object system storage on xml, or on
ODBMS for that matter?  Are they cooked, are they ready for real world apps?

Once again, I'm sorry for the generic question, I have read the FAQ's, the
ODBMS webpages, several books etc.  I'm looking for the advice of those in
the trenches - Is it safe to make XML the foundation of my new product?

Should I grab a shovel, and jump in the trenches with you, or is this a deep
dark hole?


Thanks in advance, for all who might reply.


Chad Adams
Payback Training Systems
Email: cadams@cascadecc.com
Phone: 435-654-6304
fax:   435-654-1482



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