Gnome : Aims/Focus issues

["David T. Bath" <bathd edipost auspost com au>]

ser@perio.unlp.edu.ar wrote:
> Rodrigo Moya <rodrigo@linuxave.net> escribió:
> >being used is XML. This is because we plan to support non-DBMS data
> >sources (LDAP, POP3/IMAP, etc), and SQL is only supported by DBMS.
> wow, mozilla syndrome ... (everything, but the kitchen sink)
> it's just me or gnome-db is starting to loose the focus ?

Good point, but the ability to provide a relational view of data
is critical to the Gnome project as a whole.  Perhaps the gnome-db
could be broken up into three main areas
   1. Provider related issues (talking to the core)
   2. The GDA core (including XML/DTD representation of databases,
      queries, recordsets, etc and the means of passing messages
      between providers and clients)
   3. Client programs (such as worksheets (gdafe classic),
      report tools, dba tools, etc.)

It is likely that those primarily interested in layers 1 and 2
would have little interest in programming near layer 3, but
might be users of layer 3 products.  Similarly, those interested
in programming layer 3 tools do not want to know about the
conversations between 1 and 2.

It might also be useful to say that a particular provider is
CORE-vX.X compliant, and the same for a particular client.

This is a HUGE task, remember.  The GnomeDb project is different
from Matthew's excellent Orasoft.org, which is concentrating on
pumping out products, but less concerned about universality, 
except as a nice-to-have.  That is Orasoft's right (and I am
becoming close to them : just declaring interests) and we
need people pumping out those tools : just as we appreciate
the KDE types who lead the way before Gnome got off the ground.

However, comparing Gnome and KDE, you find that "traditionally"
Gnome held back, cleaning up the architecture before "rushing
to market".

Gnome-db can and should be friendly with orasoft, the DBI/DBD
teams, and others providing more specific solutions for the
near term.  We should encourage the use of open-source solutions
generally, not just those from gnome-db.  However, my opinion
is that the Gnome-Db team should be focussed on the more universal
and elegantly designed, as-few-compromises-from-perfection that
typically describes GNU projects.

To restate this another way: there are teams that use GNU tools,
and there teams building tools the GNU way.  There are differences
in the time it takes to design and develop software according to
the sort of team you are in.


Regards

-- 
David T. Bath bathd@edipost.auspost.com.au
+613 9204 8713 (W) 0418 316 634 (Mbl)