Xref: utzoo comp.unix.wizards:11507 comp.lang.c:13066 Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!decwrl!purdue!bu-cs!mirror!rayssd!raybed2!cvbnet2!blazer!aperez From: aperez@blazer.uucp (Arturo Perez Ext.) Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards,comp.lang.c Subject: Re: Record-access libraries (Was: Re: VMS vs. UNIX file system) Message-ID: <258@cvbnet2.UUCP> Date: 3 Oct 88 18:24:14 GMT References: Sender: postnews@cvbnet2.UUCP Lines: 41 From article , by eric@snark.UUCP (Eric S. Raymond): > In article <3717@encore.uucp>, bzs@xenna (Barry Shein) writes: >> Eric, I disagree and think you dismiss the value of record access >> libraries too glibly. There's more to it than fixed and blocked record >> formats. >> >> Consider various associative schemes like ISAM or B-TREE management... > > I agree that libraries like UNIX dbm are a Good Thing -- but then ISAM, B-TREE > management, and other associative retrieval schemes are not within the scope > of the original question. Let's not muddy the waters by confusing 'record > access' in the RMS "fixed and blocked record" sense with more general database > access techniques. Why needlessly restrict the scope of the argument? I admit, the question I originally asked was a query regarding the availability of record-access libraries under Unix. However, I believe that any retrieval method is a valid conception of "record." After all, aren't we just trying to optimize the retrieval of data from the file? Isn't that what ISAM, and fixed records and all that other cruft is about? I can almost (but not quite :-) concede your point that is isn't worth optimizing the access of fixed block files. But say I had a fixed block file that I only accessed randomly, occasionally sequentially but not too often. Wouldn't it be a useful embedded attribute of the file? That way the kernel wouldn't waste too much of its time trying to do readahead for me, which I won't be using anyway. I guess I am starting to diverge. However, I do believe that there are uses for standard access methods that take these things into account. What I don't understand is why isn't anyone providing them. Arturo Perez ComputerVision, a division of Prime primerd!cvbnet!aperez The difference between genius and idiocy is that genius has its limits.