On Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:07:59 -0700 (PDT), Sébastien de Mapias
<sglrigaud@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>~As I've said elsewhere recently, if Google's recent announcement of
>~their App Engine can suddenly turn a previously unknown hierarchical
>~database (their BigTable database) and a relatively obscure
>scripting
>~language with an unusual syntax (Python) into the next cool thing,
>~perhaps there's actually some hope for M !!
>
>What do you mean here ? That by promoting their own 'BigTable'
>stuff, Google could consequently relaunch the hierarchical
>database systems bizness ?
What I was really getting at was that it's rather ironic that a force
like Google can manage to turn some really quite obscure stuff into
tomorrow's cool technology. I've been saying for years that the MUMPS
technology is the natural technology for web development by a very
significant margin (it's the reason we wrote WebLink in the first
place), but nobody (certainly not ISC) has ever been able to convince
a sceptical world that such an obscure database (hierarchical of
course) and an obscure scripting language with an unusual syntax (the
MUMPS programming language) are worth looking at.
Yet, I'm pretty sure that Google App Engine is resulting in a lot of
people finding out about Python: the very same people who probably
would have previously looked down their noses at it. Suddenly it's
the coolest thing in town, because everything Google touches is cool
by definition (well that's the general perception out there).
When you look at the underlying similarities between BigTable and
MUMPS, I just think what a shame nobody at Google got to hear about
the MUMPS database before they embarked on reinventing such a similar
wheel.
The point is that despite all the rampant religious fervour about
"proper" languages and databases, with the right impetus, it really is
possible for them to be pushed aside by something more appropriate to
the job.
I suppose if we're really lucky, Google's BigTable may re-awaken
people to the fact that the hierarchical database has some very
significant things to offer after all (having been swept aside by the
religious zeal of the relational mob since the late 70s/early 80s).
Whether that's seized on by the likes of ISC will remain to be seen,
but their strenuous efforts over the last 10 years to try to conceal
the true nature of Cache's underlying database technology would
perhaps suggest that's unlikely.
---
Rob Tweed
Company: M/Gateway Developments Ltd
Registered in England: No 3220901
Registered Office: 58 Francis Road,Ashford, Kent TN23 7UR
Web-site: http://www.mgateway.com
SlipstreamUSA: April 2, Renaissance Hotel, Orlando
http://www.OutOfTheSlipstream.com
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