On Sun, 10 Jun 2001, Me wrote:
> Yes. But if the syntax for arrays and db data are to
> be simultaneously the same and as ideal as possible,
> then either the core array syntax needs to be relatively
> ideal for relational db data, or one needs to redefine
> the array syntax to match a created db syntax and thus
> have a version of perl that doesn't use the standard
> array syntax.
>
> While the latter is pretty cool, it's a whole lot less cool
> than the former (assuming that multi-dimensional arrays
> and relational db data are as close cousins as I think
> they may be).
You're not making sense. If array syntax really is a good analogy to
database access (it's not) then Perl's array (or hash, you don't seem to
care) syntax should be just fine. Get started now - Perl 5's tie and
overload support should be more than sufficient.
On the other hand, if Perl's array syntax isn't a good fit for database
access (bingo) then you propose we change our array syntax to be a better
fit. That makes no sense at all.
Perl 6 will allow you to mutate your syntax at runtime any way you want.
If you want to create some awful embedded-database-access beast then
you're more than free to do so. It's my opinion that your misguided
project is already fully possible in Perl 5. I think you should get
started as soon as possible - the sooner to realize what a huge mistake it
is to try to replace SQL with Perl!
-sam
