[AccessD] XML

I have to say I agree with Stuart on this one.  XML is about as inefficient as you can get for 
storing data.

We as database designers strive to select the smallest possible datatype to hold whatever data we 
are storing in the data store.  Now you export a long integer to XML and it turns into hundreds of 
bytes.  And all so it can be man readable?  When was the last time you actually read an XML 
document?  What percentage of all XML documents do you (or any human) ever actually read (in XML 
format)?

It is almost as if the hard disk consortium got together in a secret room deep in a mountain in 
Russia, surrounded by KGB security specially hired to keep their meeting private... and designed a 
"storage system" to help them stimulate sales.

"Hard drives have gotten so big that people are only buying one.  Let's design this system called 
XML that will take anything and store it in layers of wrappers that will expand the original size by 
1000.  We will sell many more disks now..."

"Now let's leak it's existence to MS and tell them that it has already become the next storage 
standard..."

"Ahh... our plan worked, MS is now storing the world in XML."

Disk drive manufacturer stock prices skyrocket, approaching the share price of Berkshire Hathaway..

High fives around...

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com


Shamil Salakhetdinov wrote:
> Hi Stuart,
> 
> <<<
> Man-hammer-nail!!!
> No :)
> 
> <<<
> So now you need massive full blown database 
> management systems to manipulate XML 
> data?
> Yes. 
> Or .NET would be enough sometimes.
> One Example: MS Office 2007 (2010) documents are all XML based - now give me
> a "hammer" to effectively search for information in them?
> 
> --
> Shamil
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart McLachlan
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 3:22 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] XML (was: PDF vs Access)
> 
> <quote>
> The Toronto XML Server is a repository for XML data and metadata, which
> supports real 
> and virtual XML documents.
> Real documents are stored as files or mapped into relational or object
> databases, depending 
> on their structuredness; indices are defined according to the storage method
> used.
> </quote>
> 
> <quote>
> Using the Sonic XML Server, organizations can simplify processing and
> storage of XML 
> documents 
> </quote>
> 
> <quote>
> save a considerable amount of time as well as development and operational
> cost that would 
> otherwise be spent for adapting traditional, yet XML-enabled solutions
> (RDBMS) to work 
> effectively in an XML environment.
> </quote>
> 
> 
> So now you need massive full blown database management systems to manipulate
> XML 
> data?
> 
> Man-hammer-nail!!!
>