[wplug] Database front ends

[David Ostroske]

On 7/26/05, Duncan Hutty <dhutty+wplug at ece.cmu.edu> wrote:
> On 07/26/2005 08:45 AM, Bill Moran wrote:
[...]
> > I've heard good things about Ruby as well.
> >
> > My problem is that I have an unshakable romance with C/C++ structured
> > languages.  I get uncomfortable with languages that don't use semicolons
> > and {} to define structure.  Not really explicable ...

Ah, hence your preference for PHP of Python, eh Bill?

Ruby keeps growing in popularity in the U.S., but I don't know where.
I only know a little bit about the language. Any scripting language
that you could both build solid apps with and run quick 'n dirty jobs
with gets my attention. I'll have to look into PHP and Ruby a little
more.

[...]
> I think the topic of this thread is requiring wild over-generalisation.
> There are many reasons to interact with databases, and each will have
> different requirements. I don't think it makes sense to seek the "best"
> way. Don't forget that an important part of "best tool for the job" is
> "for the job".

Certainly, Duncan. I was looking for wild over-generalization, anyway.
Everyone does different jobs. I tend to do both grander apps and more
humble queries at my current job, so I'm looking in both directions.

> The most obvious distinction is user access vs. developer/administrator
> access. These 2 roles have vastly different purposes and therefore
> require different data presentation styles.

When I develop application modules, I invest a lot of time writing
stored procedures ("sprocs"). I don't like using dynamic SQL in
user-level applications, because the risk of an injection attack is
too great. Are sproc interfaces well-developed in all of these
languages? (That might depend on the database back end; I know MySQL
hasn't had sprocs for very long.)

But for reporting purposes, bare-metal SQL queries often work best for
me. If I had a simple front end that just spits out the results of a
simple SQL script, I'd be plenty happy.

I haven't needed much system-level administration access to my
databases. Thank goodness for that. I'd go crazy if I had to be Mr.
DBA all day long.

Since we're talking generally about front ends, has anyone had any
experience with OpenOffice.org Base yet? I've got it but haven't done
anything with it yet.

> Duncan Hutty

This is getting good.
-- 
David Ostroske <eksortso at gmail.com>