It's been rumoured that Gerald Champagne said:
>
> I don't know much about database programs, but I'm interested in learning.
> Can someone please explain why it would be worth adding the complexity
> of an external database program? Would it add features? Would it
> create cleaner code? Is there another reason?
Damned good set of questions. Let me see if I can fumble my way through
them.
-- gotta have external db (probably sql) to allow multi-user use.
But then, multi-user use doesn't become important until you're a
bsiness with fancy needs. Insofar as gnucash isn't really business
oriented ...
-- sql could make integration with things like online shopping carts
easier ... again, this remark probably doesn't apply to most people
on this mailing list ...
-- gnucash has increasing needs to store more & more data in some form
or another, e.g. budgeting info, or user preferences. The idea is
that maybe we should solve the generic storage problem now with some
generic tools, rather than continually patching.
In particular, patching the file-io code is 'scary' in the sense that
simple, stupid bugs could wipe out valuable data. And its good to be
paranoid about valuable data.
moving to sql *might* eliminate some of the scariness of patching
and adding new extensions and features. Maybe. I'm not so sure of
that any more ...
So I am not so sure I have a good answer. Anyone else care to take a
stab at this?
--linas
