Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wasatch!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!odi!dlw
From: dlw@odi.com (Dan Weinreb)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Extended RDB vs OODB
Message-ID: <1989Aug18.135935.29299@odi.com>
Date: 18 Aug 89 13:59:35 GMT
References: <3560052@wdl1.UUCP> <408@odi.ODI.COM> <3324@rtech.rtech.com> <1037@unify.UUCP>
Reply-To: dlw@odi.com
Organization: Object Design, Inc.
Lines: 34
In-reply-to: dgh@unify.UUCP's message of 12 Aug 89 00:34:15 GMT

In article <1037@unify.UUCP> dgh@unify.UUCP (David Harrington) writes:

   I agree.  Look at the OODBMS companies like Ontologic.  They are either living
   off an existing RDBMS which they are trying to re-cast as OO, or they are
   dying.

This is hardly a convincing argument.  Yes, Ontologic and Servio-Logic
might be having problems or not growing as fast as they might, but
it's not logical to leap to the conclusion that OODBMS technology
isn't going to happen, or is only going to happen as a series of
changes to existing RDBMS implementations.  There are many other
factors that have shaped the courses of those two companies.  Merely
because A is true and B is true does not mean that A caused B.  (It
would be improper and highly rude of me to speculate about what those
other factors are, but I can suggest that one has to do with the use
of proprietary or unusual computer languages.  It's also possible (as
you suggested) that they started a bit too early.)  If you look at the
early history of relational databases, in fact, you'll see a lot of
early failed startups, obviously not because of fundamental problems
with RDBMS technology.

(By the way, there aren't any OODBMS companies that are living off an
existing RDBMS which they are trying to re-cast, etc.  Also by the
way, it's not fair to call Ontologic "dying"; they've announced that
they are coming out with an entirely new product on which judgements
at this time would be premature.  I expect we'll all learn more at the
OOPSLA conference.)

Usual notice: I work for a start-up company producing an OODBMS.  In
case anyone on this list doesn't recognize the name "Unify", Mr.
Harrington works for a company that produces a relational DBMS and
associated products.

Dan Weinreb		Object Design, Inc.		dlw@odi.com