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RE: ISO and the Standards Golden Hammer (was Re:[xml-d ev] You

• To: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>
• Subject: RE: ISO and the Standards Golden Hammer (was Re:[xml-d ev] You call that a standard?)
• From: Rick Marshall <rjm@z...>
• Date: Mon, 03 May 2004 07:34:20 +1000
• Cc: "'Michael Kay'" <michael.h.kay@n...>, xml-dev@l...
• In-reply-to: <15725CF6AFE2F34DB8A5B4770B7334EE03F9F763@h...>
• Organization: Zenucom Pty Limited
• References: <15725CF6AFE2F34DB8A5B4770B7334EE03F9F763@h...>
• Reply-to: rjm@z...

after 25 years of programming by data dictionary i can assure you the
benefits in accuracy and productivity cannot be underestimated.
unfortunately programmers refuse by and large to give up procedural
control and the attitude you describe <emphasis>remains</emphasis> the
norm.

sad really as our estimates are that data programming is between 1 and 2
orders of magnitude more productive (in data based programming) than
procedural programming.

rick

On Mon, 2004-05-03 at 04:56, Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:
> It was the IDEs and the position that if the code validated the 
> file, who needed a data dictionary?   Just had that discussion 
> with a programmer and his manager last week.  The programmer 
> considers it just a document to show a customer.  Our certification 
> chief has other ideas.  Our manager thinks it is the best way 
> to keep lots of independent minded, IDE equipped staff in line.
> 
> len
> 
> 
> From: Michael Kay [mailto:michael.h.kay@n...]
> 
> > Worse, the "data dictionary" fad was heavily in force
> > in those days and even the vaguely meaningful "LYNR" was being
> > replaced by indecipherable crud like "A0942B"...
> 
> I'm surprised at this perception. My recollection is that when data
> dictionaries were popular, everyone knew they had to call it
> "LAST_YEARS_NET_REVENUE" rather than every programmer making up their own
> cryptic abbreviation; what's more, every screen that it appeared on used the
> same validation rules. I've always felt that the data dictionary was one of
> the good ideas of the 1980s that we've lost. An XML Schema is a partial
> substitute, but a very poor one. 
> 
> Perhaps it's another European idea that never really caught on in the
> States. Certainly, it was the advent of the RDBMS that caused its demise.
> 
> Michael Kay
> 
> 
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• References:
  • RE: ISO and the Standards Golden Hammer (was Re:[xml-d ev] You call that a standard?)
    • From: "Bullard, Claude L (Len)" <clbullar@i...>

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