From: Chad Perrin <perrin@...>
Date: 2007-03-22T07:31:31+09:00
Subject: Re: Object/Relational Mapping is the Vietnam of Computer Sci

On Thu, Mar 22, 2007 at 06:53:54AM +0900, ara.t.howard@noaa.gov wrote:
> 
> don't get me wrong - i understand your point.  still, it's not quite so 
> clear
> cut imho though.  for instance, we store both raw and derived satellite
> products in our mass store.  people tend to consider the raw in just those
> terms you are describing - the foundation of it all.  however, as the
> developer that manages the system which manages that data i can say that 
> there
> are literally dozens of small but critical peices of software which touches
> the data before it hits disk.  and this doesn't even take into account the
> fact that the data has been stored and replayed from a crappy magnetic tape
> which then relayed the stuff to a downlink and then bounces a few hops 
> around
> the world to get to us.  in reality the 'raw' data is only as good as the
> weakest link in all those applications and hardware bits.

The software that collects the data in the first place is only
collecting data.  Data exists everywhere around us, waiting to be
collected, collated, stored, and transformed into information.  We care
about the information that comes out, and that depends on the data that
goes in.  We'd rather not have to do everything between the two with
rulers, pencils, and our gray matter, so we use applications -- but it's
still about the data, ultimately.

-- 
CCD CopyWrite Chad Perrin [ http://ccd.apotheon.org ]
"A script is what you give the actors.  A program
is what you give the audience." - Larry Wall