I wanted to add my two cents to this and clarify a few points that Stefano made.
On Thursday, October 18, 2001, at 12:53 PM, Stefano Mazzocchi wrote: > > FYI, dbXML (www.dbxml.org) is an implementation of a native XML database > written in the Java language that is close to reaching its first final > release. > > First I want to make it clear that dbXML is Open Source and has been for over a year. It started out LGPL and was changed to an Apache style license about 6 months ago. We have an existing user community several hundred strong and this community is very interested in seeing dbXML become a part of the ASF family of projects. The current developer community is small right now, but will hopefully grow significantly in the coming months. > > dbXML was created with the sponsor of a commercial entity called "dbXML > Group" which still exists but has no economic energy to continue its > development and the main developers are now working on the project > unpaid. > But I'd like something to be clear: I'm *NOT* proposing that Apache > takes over 'dbXML group' to save dbXML and continue its development. I'm The dbXML Group is not proposing that this has anything to do with the company either, the company is going to go do whatever it is that companies do and shouldn't factor too much into any decision. The only thing they needed to approve was the transfer of the copyright and that is already taken care of. The dbXML Project which is the open source effort will continue, regardless of the existence of the company, just as it already is. Stefano kind of implies that the project is in trouble which isn't true. The dbXML Project definitely could use more help and visibility but isn't really in any trouble beyond that. We simply felt that now would be a good time to offer the code to the ASF as we're about to reach an initial 1.0 release. This makes it a good time to bring in more mindshare to enable a big leap forward when a 2.0 release comes in the future. The 1.0 release will convincingly prove the concept, now we want to take the next step and really make dbXML into a solid production level native XML database. > > Kimbro and I have been talking about "Apache BooBoo", but that is just > the first name that crossed my mind :) If you have better names, please, > let us discuss this publicly if the deal gets approuved. > > Anyway, the dbXML folks are willing to donate the code, to change the > name as long as we give proper credit to "dbXML group" for having > bootstrapped and donated the code (as we do for IBM, Lotus, Sun and > others), and more than willing to help in both development, user > support, research, community and evangelization. In fact, if the deal is > accepted by this list, they are even willing to close down the site and > move everything overhere with the new name. > One other contingency is that in my opinion the existing dbXML community should really be allowed to choose the new name, subject to approval by the wider Apache community of course. We've already started this search on our mailing list and I'd really like that to continue, assuming approval of the creation of the project. Everybody is very interested in keeping it in line with the style of the existing XML apache project names. > Let me finish by saying that I do not consider important what the actual > code implementation is (few, myself included, might not like some of > their architectural choices, such as the use of CORBA and Jaggernaut), > but I'm *NOT* asking for a vote on their _actual_ technological status, > I'm asking for a vote to create a community that can create, maintain > and show the power of a native XML DB solution. > I think Stefano makes dbXML sound much worse then it really is. :-) Is dbXML immature, yes of course it is. It is a version 1.0 piece of software for a technology that itself is brand new. However, it is also pretty close to being the most widely used native XML database around. So while compared to MySQL the numbers are small, compared to our commercial brethren in the native XML space they are not. Also if you've used any of the commercial products, other then Tamino and Excelon, you'll also know that dbXML is already about as good. Now, we just need to focus on getting the engine mature enough to blow away the Taminos and Excelons in the space. As Stefano mentioned, it's going to take a long time to get to a truly industrial strength solution, but I think dbXML provides a solid foundation to start with. Not that it really matters, but just to clarify Stefano's specific issues. The CORBA layer is just that, a layer, and it is already slated to be replaced in the next version of dbXML with something like SOAP. It isn't a central piece of architecture to the database it self. Also to use the server you don't have to deal with CORBA at all, as long as you're working in Java. CORBA is there for other languages. Juggernaut was actually developed as part of dbXML before it was even made open source, and is something that we split into a separate project to make it clearer what is the database and what is the server framework that the database runs under. Juggernaut is also slated to be replaced in the next version, most likely with Avalon. > It might takes years to have something solid enough to compete with big > commercial names, but it is important, IMO, for Apache to have something > to say even on this front by creating a community and attracting people > and their ideas. > > In fact, the dbXML guys are willing to donate the code, but also very > happy about the possibility of a higher visibility that would bring more > people and more ideas into the design process that is going to happen > for their next major release. I want to make it clear here too, the current dbXML community is totally committed to the future development of dbXML (or whatever it is called in the future). We decided to offer the code to the ASF for the very reasons that Stefano mentions here. We want dbXML to grow into what becomes the defacto standard for native XML databases. Forming an ASF project around the code is just the next step on the path to achieving that goal. We're committed to achieving this, and hopefully continuing the effort under the Apache umbrella will give us the advantage that's needed and a significant benefit for everyone involved. Our current community will move over to support the new effort and to continue development into the future. > > So, people, I'm asking you to judge the idea to create a community, > rather than the current dbXML implementation which is only a way to give > to users the meat the look for in that area, but then attract them for > new development and further research. > > Sorry for the long mail. > > Please, place your vote. > > Thanks. > > Stefano. > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > In case of troubles, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Kimbro Staken The dbXML Project http://www.dbxml.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- In case of troubles, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
