XML in the Database

Question

Post reply

XML in the Database

Viewing 7 posts - 16 through 21 (of 21 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply

Rudyx - the Doctor SSC-Forever Points: 43695 More actions · Answer 1

Rudyx - the Doctor

SSC-Forever

Points: 43695

February 22, 2007 at 12:44 pm

#691239

Possibly more fuel for the fire:

http://www.ddj.com/dept/database/197002416?cid=RSSfeed_DDJ_DataBase

RegardsRudy KomacsarSenior Database Administrator"Ave Caesar! - Morituri te salutamus."

webrunner SSC-Dedicated Points: 31059 More actions · Answer 2

Yes, it may be more fuel indeed. I'm sure there will be XQuery advocates, just as there are of all technologies. But the core SQL paradigm has been so successful for so long that it seems premature to complicate it by insisting on something like XQuery. If XQuery can be used in certain controlled situations, then I'm sure someone will find a nice use for it.

But if we see too much effort to claim SQL is obsolete, I foresee great pushback. I think SQL works because it is based on the relational model, and the relational model (despite its reliance on modeling everything as a table, which some people see as oversimplifying) just works. The benefits by far outweigh the negatives, and so many applications are based on that model that it should not be changed for light and transient reasons - to paraphrase the amendment process for the U.S. Constitution :-).

I'm sure if it is done right, SQL can be expanded into something greater, the same way C was expanded into C++. But I think it has to be done in a conservative and well-planned manner, not in a way where people think it is just like a minor revision to HTML.

Oh well, given my ignorance about XML I have already gone on too much. But it's always fun to speculate.

-------------------
A SQL query walks into a bar and sees two tables. He walks up to them and asks, "Can I join you?"
Ref.: http://tkyte.blogspot.com/2009/02/sql-joke.html

BeerBeerBeer Hall of Fame Points: 3961 More actions · Answer 3

I agree with Tatsu and Webrunner.

I always thought XML was just a way to transport data in a formatted fashion, mimicking or simplifying the relational structure from the storage engine - SQL Server.

This just muddies the waters of RDBMS and will cause people without the knowledge to use it in strange ways (read hacks).

For the record, I'm primarily a developer with a strong interest in SQL Server.

Regards,

Steve

Life without beer is no life at all

All beer is good, some beers are just better than others

Gift Peddie SSC Guru Points: 73570 More actions · Answer 4

Microsoft XQUERY is very simple return the table with the SELECT add the XQUERY filters and apply predicates as needed at the end of the XQUERY, taking advantage of one complain about SQL from relational algebra experts like Chris Dates a SELECT returns a table. XML is very useful in the application layer it is not practical to expect none persisted into the RDBMS.

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345122.aspx

Kind regards,
Gift Peddie

Yelena Varshal SSC-Dedicated Points: 34286 More actions · Answer 5

At one of the first Microsoft presentations dedicated to XML many years ago I sort of tried to make them step back into the reality and asked about performance. There was one developer in the audience who already tried the feature on a big set of data (I am leaving the rest of the story to your imagination)... Hardware then was not as good as now.

I remember saying that I, as a DBA work so hard to minimize the amount of stored or transmitted data, normalize databases, select appropriate data types etc. and now to every bit of data we have to append several strings of XML tags.

Regards,Yelena Varsha