From: Chad Perrin <perrin@...>
Date: 2007-03-23T14:45:56+09:00
Subject: Re: Object/Relational Mapping is the Vietnam of Computer Science

On Fri, Mar 23, 2007 at 12:50:04PM +0900, Clifford Heath wrote:
> Chad Perrin wrote:
> >...vendor lock-in (coupled with some form of
> >vendor lock-out, of course -- data locked into a given format, user
> >locked out of the software one uses to access it).
> 
> Ok, I can see why you wouldn't want to use software like that.
> I certainly wouldn't, and haven't. In fact I don't know any
> software like that, except what Microsoft tried with XP, but
> even that failed. So it's a bit of a strawman you're knocking
> down, aren't you?

Only if I was using that statement as a point of argument.  I wasn't,
really -- I just defined vendor lock-in.  I suspect you're making
assumptions about my meaning and intent.

In any case, my usual approach to dealing with the specter of vendor
lock-in is to avoid the vendors' proprietary formats whenever at all
practical.  Sure, I can always use some outside tool to recover that
from which I've been locked out, but I'd rather not have to.

-- 
CCD CopyWrite Chad Perrin [ http://ccd.apotheon.org ]
"It's just incredible that a trillion-synapse computer could actually
spend Saturday afternoon watching a football game." - Marvin Minsky