Re: Database storage approach

["Timothy H. Keitt" <keitt nceas ucsb edu>]

Preben Randhol wrote:

> "Timothy H. Keitt" <keitt@nceas.ucsb.edu> writes:
>
> | a database or a standard file system.  The problem with most file systems is
> | that they are like unencapsulated data---they allow you to do stupid things.
>
> The OS/GUI should not try to outsmart you. :-)

Agreed, but not what I was talking about.   I was talking more about programming
to interfaces versus programming to low-level data structures.   (Just because
some interfaces are poorly designed doesn't mean we should forget about
encapsulation.)

>
> Look at a car, should there be a computer in the car that says "Are
> you really really sure you want to turn of the road ?" when you try to
> avoid a road accident ?

Avoid car analogies.  They only confuse the issue. ;-)

>
> Yes and then we learn, and don't stay ignorant. :-) Like the child learns
> when he/she gets too close to the stove.

Yes, yes, I hate badly designed GUI's too...

T.

--
Timothy H. Keitt
National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis
735 State Street, Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: 805-892-2519, FAX: 805-892-2510
http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/~keitt/