Why object-oriented databases can succeed where others have failed

摘要

Why are database systems an infrequent component of CAD systems? Most CAD systems perform their own data management on top of the OS file system. Those that are built atop relational databases use them almost exclusively for selection, sometimes for projection, but perform joins in the private program memory of the design tools. CAD systems are using a DBMS as an index package---to support associative access---when they are using one at all. The ubiquitous reason for foregoing the rest of the data manipulation capabilities is "Performance! Commercial database systems aren't fast enough to support simulators and interactive design tools." The following paragraphs give my opinion on what conventional database systems are too slow at, why they are slow at it, and why object-oriented database systems could be faster at it.