db2xml Explained

    In the past, when you needed to be able to store and retrieve information in a categorical manner, you turned to databases. Offering table-organized storage and powerful information querying capabilities, these complex servers could provide you with anything you needed.Recently however, due to the complex hardware necessary to run production-quality databases, more and more people have been looking into XML. Providing an impressive logically structured data description environment and raw-text editing, many believe XML is the route of the future. Unfortunately, XML and its parsing, in their current state, are still a little function- lacking.

    Ever since it broke through into mainstream, XML has been proclaimed the successor to all data description methods, including databases. Touting an impressive free form, logically structured manner of data description, it could satisfy a perfectionist. However, manipulating these files raw data in complex manners can be a less than perfect experience. Tools to date are incredibly fast at simple parsing, yet advanced queries are often slow, if even implemented. This is where older is better.

    Why reinvent the wheel? Databases not only support complex data retrieval and sorting, but are already commonly implemented. So far, unsurpassed in either category, database developers realize that their powerful SELECT and SORT algorithms are the main reason why. XML and its relatives, to date, are not capable of performing the queries that make databases so popular. However databases are far from perfect. Easily susceptible to slowdowns during heavy usage, these servers commonly require at least a gigabyte of memory. So what is there to do?

    What do you get when you combine the speed and readability of XML with the power and management of a database? A pay raise of course, and perhaps a karma equal to Cowboy Neal! Unfortunately, I believe Cowboy Neal's karma is copyrighted, so you'll have to settle for the pay raise.

    So, still interested? Well, stay tuned for Part II: db2xml Implemented. Coming soon...