[Info-vax] The real problem that needs solving to grow VMS

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 11/23/2022 9:00 AM, Dave Froble wrote:
> On 11/23/2022 8:11 AM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> On 2022-11-22, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>>> On 11/22/2022 10:46 AM, IanD wrote:
>>>> I've been trying to use it to model software testing components for a
>>>> large software conversion project, as a learning exercise, I can see
>>>> the potential but I lack the knowledge of Neo4j to quickly knock out
>>>> solutions, so it's a hard grind of learning in my own time :-(
>>>
>>> They have some market share.
>>>
>>> It is my impression that they are mostly used for analytical work
>>> and not so much for for transactional/CRUD work. Not to just save
>>> and retrieve data but for trying to get some insight out of the data.
>>>
>>> How that fits with Dave's usage I have no idea.
>>
>> It doesn't. David's problem is a normal transaction based problem with
>> issuing and managing items, but with the added complexity that the part
>> number can change on a regular basis. Supersessions and supersession 
>> loops
>> are part of normal parts management and the surprise is not the problem,
>> but the fact the vendors his customers are talking to can't handle them.
> 
> Some of the younger people in IT seem to lack understanding of some 
> fundamentals.

In general terms you are using:

application----embedded NoSQL key value store database (VMS 
index-sequential files)

or depending on view:

application----embedded custom database (hierachical? network? 
other?)----embedded NoSQL key value store database (VMS index-sequential 
files)

Ian noted that *if* you wanted to change that then instead
of the obvious:

application----relational database

there are also the possibility of:

application----NoSQL graph database

Anything can probably be made to work with enough effort - the question
is what is the best solution.

My point was that I only think that the NoSQL graph database
is a good solution if the core problem is analytical not
transactional in nature.

Simon stated that it is transactional.

(and continue to express his surprise that more standard
item management systems can't handle it - which is not
really relevant for the choice of database paradigm)

Arne