Tim, I don't think I was clear. We're differing on semantics here, but by "structure" I mean set fields, e.g., an "employees" table would have:
first name last name hired date etc. An XML document doesn't have a field definition (unless you tell it to, of course, using any of the methods you described). I'm aware that XML has "structure" (in the sense it is well-formed). A flat text file paired with grep doesn't have the same power because fields would not be defined. XML, at least, conveys information about the data contained in the field, whereas a completely unstructured text document lacks that. - Brian Dailey -- realm3 web applications [realm3.com] freelance consulting, application development (423) 506-0349 On 10/30/07, Tim Gales <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Brian D. wrote: > [snip] > > > That made me wonder if most people completely missed the point. The > > application of XML databases is, I think, in situations where > > structure is either not applicable or not possible... > > XML documents are structured. > Look up well-formed XML and valid XML. > > ..Trying to stamp a > > structure on an XML database (from what I can gather) destroys one of > > the primary reasons for employing the technology. XML is flexible. > > That's what makes it different... > No need to 'stamp' a structure on XML records -- > they've already got one (see above) > > ... If you shoehorn an XML database into > > what Rusty called a "rectangular" format, why not just continue using > > relational databases? > > > > XML documents (and hence XML Databases) are not inherently > less structured or more capable of handling unstructured > data than a relational data model. > (Consider, for example, a database with a text field which > can be text-indexed like you can create in MySQL. > That sort of a text field doesn't impose much structure > on the data.) > > A relational schema can be as structured or unstructured > as you create it to be -- same goes for DTD's and XSD's. > What degree of structure you need, I would venture to say, > is determined by your retrieval needs. > > If you really want even less structure -- throw all > your data into text files and 'grep' for your > information. > > -- > > T. Gales & Associates > 'Helping People Connect with Technology' > > http://www.tgaconnect.com > _______________________________________________ > New York PHP Community Talk Mailing List > http://lists.nyphp.org/mailman/listinfo/talk > > NYPHPCon 2006 Presentations Online > http://www.nyphpcon.com > > Show Your Participation in New York PHP > http://www.nyphp.org/show_participation.php > _______________________________________________ New York PHP Community Talk Mailing List http://lists.nyphp.org/mailman/listinfo/talk NYPHPCon 2006 Presentations Online http://www.nyphpcon.com Show Your Participation in New York PHP http://www.nyphp.org/show_participation.php
