Re: [xml-dev] Argument: Software design is important, data design is not

[Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com>]

 To put this in other words, if software is kind of data, then the statement

   "Software design is important, data design is not"
is obviously self-contradictory.

Something more to consider:  The structure of the data affects and
sometimes almost dictates the structure of the program that processes
this data. One example is that a tree structure is typically processed
in recursive manner.

It is rare that absolute and very general statements are correct, or
have practical value.

On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 9:10 AM, Dimitre Novatchev <dnovatchev@gmail.com> wrote:
>>  What's wrong with that argument?
>
> Hmm...   In functional programming functions are a kind of data. It
> would follow that the design of functions (type of data) is not
> important -- only the design of higher order functions is.
>
> But a HOF is date for another HOF.   .....
>
> Following this we construct a chain of conclusions that the design of
> any function, regardless of its level of "higher-ordered-ness" is not
> important ... which contradicts the statement that "software design is
> important"
>
> :)
>
>
> Cheers,
> Dimitre
>
> On Tue, Nov 12, 2013 at 6:32 AM, Costello, Roger L. <costello@mitre.org> wrote:
>> Hi Folks,
>>
>> An argument:
>> ---------------------------------------------
>> In the final analysis what matters is giving consumers the information they need in a form that is useful to them and performing the actions they request. And it is software which does that. So it doesn't matter whether you use a data format that is simple and lightweight, or complex and heavyweight. In fact, the design of data to be exchanged matters very little, as long as all the data that is needed exists. At the consuming end software can extract the data and store it in memory in a form suitable for efficient processing. Software is king! Data design is only needed to the extent that you document and define what it contains; other than that, do whatever you want. Software design is important, data design is not.
>>
>> What is data design anyway? A typical response is: a good data design is one that enables software to do its job better/easier. Again we see that data is just in a supporting role to software; data is not the lead character (to use an acting metaphor). If the data is to be consumed by diverse software packages, a single data design cannot make all the software packages do their job better/easier, so why bother doing any design? Arguing that one data design is better than another is a waste of time and, in fact, it's meaningless. Spend minimal time on data design and create great software designs.
>> ---------------------------------------------
>>
>> What's wrong with that argument?
>>
>> /Roger
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Dimitre Novatchev
> ---------------------------------------
> Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
> ---------------------------------------
> To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
> -------------------------------------
> Never fight an inanimate object
> -------------------------------------
> To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the
> biggest mistake of all
> ------------------------------------
> Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
> -------------------------------------
> You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
> you're doing is work or play
> -------------------------------------
> To achieve the impossible dream, try going to sleep.
> -------------------------------------
> Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
> -------------------------------------
> Typing monkeys will write all Shakespeare's works in 200yrs.Will they
> write all patents, too? :)
> -------------------------------------
> I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.



-- 
Cheers,
Dimitre Novatchev
---------------------------------------
Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
---------------------------------------
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk
-------------------------------------
Never fight an inanimate object
-------------------------------------
To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the
biggest mistake of all
------------------------------------
Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
-------------------------------------
You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what
you're doing is work or play
-------------------------------------
To achieve the impossible dream, try going to sleep.
-------------------------------------
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.
-------------------------------------
Typing monkeys will write all Shakespeare's works in 200yrs.Will they
write all patents, too? :)
-------------------------------------
I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.