RE: Green screen - it's time is over

SQL is yesterday's technology. It's like Hootie and the Blowfish.

XPATH! That's like Ben Folds.

<grin>

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Pluta [mailto:joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 8:43 AM
To: midrange-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Green screen - it's time is over


I get sucked into this conversation every once in a while because I just
can't stay away from it.  There are several ways to answer your question,
and, despite my reputation, I'll try to be concise and outline just two.

1. Benchmarks.  I've released many over the last of year or so that show SQL
to be anywhere from 50% to 500% slower than record level access, at least
for database update.  For queries, it can be faster.  Whenever you talk
about SQL performance, you really need to separate queries from database
update.

2. Thought exercise.  Let's use common sense, just for a moment.  SQL uses
all the same database routines as record level access.  The primary
difference is something called a "query optimizer", which is what makes
multi-file joins and some other set-based queries faster than traditional
HLL approaches.  For updates, especially record-at-a-time updates like we
normally do in transactions, SQL basically adds extra work (parsing the
statement, determining column positions and the like) prior to executing the
same database routines the HLL executes directly.  So, unless the SQL
overhead actually executes in negative computer cycles, it will take longer
than the HLL record level access.

There are a few exceptions.  Queries that require accessing different data
in different files based on the contents of a field are not particularly
fast in SQL (not to mention that they can be a bear to code).  But in most
cases it seems that the query optimizer does a good job of making data
access faster in SQL.  On the flip side, there are occasional situation
where SQL is better for database updates, usually in cases involving large
blocks of records being updated.

So, back to your situation, Rob.  Tell us a little more about the
application, rather than simply saying "SQL is FASTER than traditional
access", because the correct answer is (as usual in these things):
"sometimes".

Hey, that was reasonably concise!  I'm outtahere...

Joe Pluta
www.plutabrothers.com



> -----Original Message-----
> From: rob@dekko.com
>
> I don't buy your argument at all about SQL being slower.  A gentleman here
> - and no SQL fan for sure - started using SQL just because it's
> FASTER than
> traditional access.  And he writes 'real world' code for ERP.  He finally
> messed with some blocking factors (much easier in RPGLE) and went back to
> traditional access because now SQL was only FOUR times faster than
> traditional access and that difference he could live with.
>
> Rob Berendt

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