CouchDb
I’ve been poking around with CouchDb, like all the cool kids. It’s pretty clever; a database which isn’t relational, where the connection API is REST, and where queries are written in JavaScript and data is returned as JSON. It’s been accused of using all these technologies for reasons of cool rather than because they’re actually a good idea, but Damien Katz, one of the main authors, says that he uses JSON because “XML FUCKING SUCKS“, and ne’er a truer word was spoken. As Assaf Arkin says, “Relational databases have failed the software industry in much the same way XML, Java and client-server failed the software industry. In other words, no failure to see here, move along. Those are all excellent technologies for solving a wide range of problems. Just that there are some problems they’re particularly poor at solving.” It’s a neat and clever way of trying to solve some of those things that an RDBMS may not be good at, and I’m dying out to use it for something (but I’ve got too much on to invent yet another project). If you read about it and want to check it out, be warned that right at the moment all this cool JSON stuff lives only in svn — the last released version used XML and some kind of brain-damaged noddy SQL-but-not-really query language. Fortunately, they’ve seen the light on that in all possible ways. Sam Ruby has build instructions for CouchDb if you want to check out the goodness.
Random serendipity? (general platitude only, no need to read or answer)
Hey Stuart, Found your site by looking for info about dyings cats. Flipped to another screen and found the CouchDb stuff, just what I was looking for!
Hey, we all know the web is amazing and wow etc. etc., but I still get a buzz from serendipity now and again.
Sitting here browsing on a sunny Sunday morning in Brisbane Australia about a concern for my cat who’s ill and then hitting on a web Db and code issue I am interested in … also support your redacting position about closing forums - using your own judgement as owner/custodian of the information on the site is ethical and balanced in my view (cats dying and also your phone takedown comments).
If you come down under, I’ll try to shout you a beverage of your choice.
(shout = Australian slang meaning to ‘pay for’)
Cheers Simon.
8 days later
SimonB: it’s weird how stuff like that works out, isn’t it? Glad I could help. If LugRadio ever manage to bring LugRadio Live to Australia then we’ll sink a couple together :-)
8 days later