Re: Want to add to contrib.... xmldbx

>
>
> Mark Woodward wrote:
>
>>XML is not really much more than a language, it says virtually nothing
>>about content. Content requires custom parsers.
>>
>>
>
> Really? Strange I've been dealing with it all this time without having
> to contruct a parser. What you do need is to provide event handlers to a
> stream parser such as SAX, or a use an API such as DOM to insert/extract
> data to/from the XML.

Yes, those are applications that allow you to create a data handler, expat
is basically everything else is a custom parser.

>
>>While I understand the notion that we don't want to have a custom parser
>>for every XML data spec, I did commit the xmldbx extension into the PHP
>>extensions.
>>
>>MySQL has great street cred because it is very well integrated with PHP.
>>This extension may appeal to PHP users and make it more enticing to
>>PostgreSQL instead.
>>
>>
>>
>
> Postgres generally seems to favor extensibility over integration, and I
> generally agree with that approach.

I generally agree as well, but.....

I think there is always a balance between "out of the box" vs
"extensibility." I think integration and extensibility is fantastic for
addaptation of your product, but "oobe" (out of box experience) is
important for those you want to target.

By all practical measure PostgreSQL is miles ahead of MySQL, but MySQL
wins because it is the defacto PHP database. PostgreSQL does not target
PHP in any real sense, I am proposing adding this extension to change
that.

Having a PHP serializer that hooks up to the database in a usable way,
IMHO, makes a strong link between the two.

>
> Before we even consider it I would want to see how much traction your
> PHP extension gets.

This is the classic chicken and the egg thing that kills a potentially
great idea.

Step back and ask yourself "is it something you see as valuable." If you
answer no, then there is no point in dicussing it anymore. If you answer
"yes," then consider the PHP admin who wants to be able to accomplish what
this provides. The PHP guy will be used to MySQL and not know anything
about PostgreSQL, wouldn't making the barrier to entry lower make sense?

If it is a "good idea" then, making it easier to do makes sense.


>
> Also, what are its dependencies? If it's dependent on PHP headers to
> build or libraries to run that would be unfortunate - we might need to
> invent some sort of configure flag to include/exclude some contrib
> modules in that case.

I wrote it so it could be in the contrib with nothing but expat (which
most systems have.)