Joe Geiser wrote:
...
>
> I would also agree with Wirt (although I know and understood that Richard
> never suggested that it would be a good idea) that dynamic insertion of a
> column (field) is bad!  I know for a fact that Adager can do this today,
> with accuracy and speed that surpasses other RDMSes, as can DBGeneral.

Oracle's whole approach to administration (requirements to set and control
almost every aspect of the server activity) differs radically in philosophy
from Image (minimal hands on, with most configuration parameters locked in
and set for scalability and maximum performance consistent with
reliability).  Oracle's
use of variable size records probably provides one of the biggest structural
differences with Image.  Then there is the whole different approach to read
consistency, etc.

Perhaps the best idea in the RDBMS is stored code and triggers that enhances
consistency, and perhaps performance, in implementing application business
logic, but similar consistency can be obtained through disciplined
programming.

--
Richard Gambrell
Database Administrator and Consultant to Computing Services
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Dept. 4454
113 Hunter Hall, 615 McCallie Ave. Chattanooga, TN 37403-2598
UTC e-mail: [log in to unmask]   phone: 423-755-4551
Home e-mail: [log in to unmask]