Dare Obasanjo wrote: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jonathan Borden" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, January 11, 2002 3:05 PM > Subject: Re: Problems With Implementing XMLDB API > > > > > Err, so "addResource" on a BinaryResource is OK _from an interface point of > > view_ when "addResource" on an integer doesn't make sense? Do you really > > mean this? > > Considering that a number of native XML databases store BLOBS including Tamino > and eXcelon as well as the fact that a few XML-enabled databases support > storing XML as blobs such as DB2 (XMLCLOB type) and Oracle (in regular CLOBs) > I don't see why it should be unreasonable to expect an API that expects to be > used by XML databases not to support storing binary resources. > > On the other hand expecting the database to expect to know how to manage > floating point numbers and booleans is ludicrous in my opinion.
You are always entitled to your opinion. I can understand the sentiment of not wanting to mix XML and primitive datatypes other than 'string', but this is not the way of the world. The XPath 1.0 model already deals with strings, boolean values and numbers. Moreover, the strong message we are getting from the database community is in fact that there are many people who do desire 'XML' databases to handle boolean values, numbers and dates. This project, XML:DB aims to be a standard API for XML databases. Surely we want to handle the needs of people who are designing and using XML databases. I mean, if the API is not able to serve as an acceptable mechanism for executing an XQuery or an XPath 2.0, what is the point? Just because we support XPath 1.0, does not mean that we have ever intended to _limit_ ourselves to XPath 1.0. > > > A collection/list/set of integers is a _perfectly_ reasonable and well > > understood entity. > > Not for storing in a XML database. Again, you are entitled to your opionion. I suggest, rather than dictate what you personally think ought to be in an XML database, rather, read what others intend: http://www.w3.org/TR/query-datamodel/#sequences "... Note: Sequences replace node-sets from XPath 1.0..." You may find this ludicrous, but I believe the job of XML:DB is not to dictate to the XML community what an XML database ought to contain, rather to serve the needs of this community. [snip] > > Because those are *validation* problems as opposed to *type* problems. Validation and type are _closely_ related concepts. Hence the term: DTD Document _Type_ Definition, what is used for classical XML validation. Jonathan ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Post a message: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact administrator: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Read archived messages: http://archive.xmldb.org/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------
