Data+Algorithms

Keith Ray responds to my recent item on coordination via databases...

As long as databases only store data, and don't store whole objects (data+algorithms), they will always risk disassociating meaning and values.

I understand there is this risk. But the scenario we're comparing to is the distributed messaging paradigm where messages have no algorithms associated and the various end points use different languages. People have decided they don't want the "whole objects" scenario.

I think there is a tremendous benfit to whole objects in either scenario, if good choices are made about the language. The majority has not gone along with that. Ever. Back in the days when CORBA and OODBs were hot topics at OOPSLA, there was a clear message being presented from an aggregated look at the experience reports. Namely, distributed Smalltalk and the Gemstone Smalltalk OODB were relatively easy wins, while distributed CORBA and other OODBs would work OK but were a pain in the ass.