WHY use anything other than an XML backend?

[John Layman]

Actually, robust databases do not store immediately, the first thing they do
is write to a journal that is separate from the database.  The journal
allows recovery in the event the data store becomes corrupted.  Running on a
personal computer, there a lots of ways corruption might occur (power
outages, etc.)

Also, while it is true to say that good accounting procedure does not allow
for changing ~committed~ transactions, it is (IMO) wrong-headed to take this
discipline so literally as to design software to suck data straight from the
keystroke into the committed state.   Doing so would degrade the usability
of the software enormously.  Say, for example, you inadvertently enter a
transaction into a cash account rather than the credit card account where it
really belonged (I enter my credit card transactions manually.)  It would
make no sense to treat this sort of error so legalistically from an
accounting standpoint that it required reversing entries to correct it.

-----Original Message-----
From: gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=laymanandlayman.com at gnucash.org
[mailto:gnucash-user-bounces+john.layman=laymanandlayman.com at gnucash.org] On
Behalf Of Geert Janssens
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 3:29 AM
To: gnucash-user at gnucash.org
Subject: Re: WHY use anything other than an XML backend?

On woensdag 20 april 2011, Zhang Weiwu, Beijing wrote:
> On 04/20/2011 04:13 AM, Geert Janssens wrote:
> > Another advantage of the sql backend is that it saves instantly, so 
> > you have less risk of data loss (except for the issues with online 
> > banking John mentioned).
> 
> It's an advantage? I found myself wanting to not to save 10 times more 
> than wanted to save but didn't. If using SQL, do I still have the 
> chance to use my favorable 'not to save' feature?

Yes, that's an advantage. GnuCash is an accounting program. An in accounting
it is generally a habit to correct mistakes not by starting over, but by
adding reversing transactions. That way work history is preserved. As such
its very useful to save immediatly as it prevents accidental data loss. It
doesn't free you from making good backups regularly though.