Re: [gtk-list] Re: GNOME Database kit ODBC interface

[Elliot Lee <sopwith redhat com>]

On Fri, 7 Aug 1998, O'CONNOR, Steve wrote:

> STOP IT NOW ... 
> 
> ODBC is bad, bad, bad ... it is poison, dont use it.

You haven't given any reasons why not. It is flexible enough to meet
database access needs, and it is not too complicated to prevent a
knowledgeable programmer from writing up a "display a table of query
results" program in a few minutes. Oh, and it's an industry standard. 

> All you need for a GNOME generic database interface is the following
> collection of functions -
> 
> - result_set* execSQL (char *str);       where str is an SQL statement
> to execute. Returns a result set *
> - char* getValue (result_set *, int row, int column);

Your API does not allow binding variables to input parameters or result
columns, doesn't allow multiple data sources, doesn't allow cursors,
doesn't allow transactions, has screwed-up result reporting etc.  etc.
etc. 

> ODBC is another microsoft 'innovation' - lets say you want to write an
> ODBC driver for mySQL .. first port of call would be to go to the M$
> website and search the 'Knowledge Base' for the specs for the ODBC
> interface. Good luck ...   After about a week of painful searching you
> will discover that ODBC is not a 'spec' like you would expect to find,
> but rather a 'collection of concepts and technologies' which are not
> documented in any detail anywhere that I could find.

You're ranting against it because you think it's from Microsoft, not
because it's inherently bad. 

FWIW the ODBC spec is available under http://www.microsoft.com/odbc, and
as the pages note, ODBC is based upon the X/Open CLI, so assuage any fears
you have about bowing to an API invented by The Beast.

-- Elliot
Do you ever just feel thankful that you know me and have access to my
dementia? Explain. Be prepared to discuss in class.