Re^5: Death and Return of TIMTOWTDI

When using DBI to communicate with a database, you pass messages. Those messages could be commands, questions, whatever. There are other APIs for any given database. DBI is just way of abstracting away the different ways to communicate to different databases. However, talking with an Oracle database is different from talking with a MySQL database. They have implemented the language SQL in subtly different ways.

Every command and every question is a message. Computer programs don't make a differentiation between them. Humans do.

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We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Then there are Damian modules.... *sigh* ... that's not about being less-lazy -- that's about being on some really good drugs -- you know, there is no spoon. - flyingmoose

I shouldn't have to say this, but any code, unless otherwise stated, is untested

Comment on Re^5: Death and Return of TIMTOWTDI

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Re^6: Death and Return of TIMTOWTDI by dakedesu (Scribe) on Jul 05, 2004 at 15:52 UTC
So, would SQL and DBI compliment or compete against each other? If they compliment each other, I fail to really see it in your post. If they compete against each other, well, this is a good example :) -- Jamie Payne	[reply]
Re^7: Death and Return of TIMTOWTDI by dragonchild (Archbishop) on Jul 06, 2004 at 01:36 UTC
They don't solve the same problem. DBI is a communication protocol. SQL is an application language. You can use DBI to communicate with databases that don't speak SQL and you can use SQL without using DBI, using other communication protocols. Think about it this way - you speak English. You can trasmit that English using your voice or the written word. You can also use those mechanisms to communicate in German. So, what is the relationship between English and your voice? That is the same relationship between SQL and DBI. ------ We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age. Then there are Damian modules.... sigh* ... that's not about being less-lazy -- that's about being on some really good drugs -- you know, there is no spoon.* - flyingmoose I shouldn't have to say this, but any code, unless otherwise stated, is untested	[reply]