NYCPHP Meetup

[Kenneth Downs]

Elliotte Harold wrote:
> Kenneth Downs wrote:
>
>> Not a chance.  There is no such thing as a native XML database and 
>> there never will be because XML is a file format (oops, data format), 
>> and an extremely inefficient one at that.  To have a native database 
>> you need a data model.  XML uses the hierarchical model and if you're 
>> going to build a native hierarchical database you sure wouldn't use 
>> the wasteful XML format internally to store the data.
>>
>> And if you insist on using XML just because its so wonderful to use 
>> 17 characters to store the state <STATE>NY</STATE>, it will never be 
>> able to compete with even the most immature relational engines for 
>> pure speed.  Maybe on example and toy sites, but never for anything 
>> that needs to scale.
>>
>> If I'm wrong, dinner's on me.
>>
>
> Which part do you have to be wrong about for me to get a free dinner? 
> I can already give you several existence proofs demonstrating that 
> there is such a thing as a native XML database:
>
> http://www.marklogic.com/
> http://exist.sourceforge.net/

A sourceforge project does not a phenomenon make.  I guess when the 
banks and airlines have our data in the XML files, and I don't mean a 
few hybrid patchwork examples, I mean the hardcore permanent long-term 
stuff as well as the transactional support for the reservations we're 
making all day.  When that happens, we'll start picking the restaurants.

>
> More are coming.
>


-- 
Kenneth Downs
Secure Data Software, Inc.
www.secdat.com    www.andromeda-project.org
631-689-7200   Fax: 631-689-0527
cell: 631-379-0010