XML size (was: no subject)

Bill Gribble grib@linuxdevel.com
04 Apr 2002 09:16:04 -0600


On Thu, 2002-04-04 at 08:52, Derek Atkins wrote:
> Note that even when you double your CPU, the SQL implementation will
> _still_ be faster than the flat-file implementation! :) Sure, the time
> to startup using SQL on a P-III 500Mhz will appear to be the same as
> XML on a P-III <greater-than-500MHz> machine, but on this second
> machine the SQL implementation will be even faster...

I have to object to this statement.  SQL's advantage is *not* that it's
faster, especially not that it's faster than a flat-file database
implementation like Berkeley DB.  SQL databases are almost always slower
than flat-file databases.  You use SQL because you need the ability to
do sophisticated queries and support multiuser access, transactions,
etc.  It's not for blazing speed. 

> We can reduce the code in gnucash by just requiring the external
> dependency.  This particular reduction in code size would both:
>         a) speed up the runtime, and
>         b) reduce complexity

The current approach is to add backends for new functionality.  There's
already an SQL backend and an XML backend.  What are you proposing to do
that would reduce complexity?  Are you proposing to remove the backend
system altogether?  I certainly can't support that;  we (Linux
Developers Group) use a custom backend that we designed for our specific
application of Gnucash, and I think the flexibility of the backend
system should stay.  It needs improvements, and the model that it was
supposed to implement is only half-finished, but it's worth saving IMO. 

Are you saying more people should be using the SQL backend, or that it
should be the default?  Sure, maybe, when it's mature and fast enough to
support serious use, which it's not at the moment.  Who's going to get
it where it's going? 

>From my perspective, you guys are just hitting each other over the head
for the sport of it, and this discussion is going around in ever-smaller
circles.  Could we please step back and try to determine what courses of
action are actually being suggested, and who is volunteering to do the
work?  And please, please, tone down the rhetoric and personal attacks? 

b.g.