Record-access libraries (Was: Re: VMS vs. UNIX file system)

[Eric S. Raymond]

In article <3717 at encore.uucp>, bzs at xenna (Barry Shein) writes:
> Eric, I disagree and think you dismiss the value of record access
> libraries too glibly. There's more to it than fixed and blocked record
> formats.
> 
> Consider various associative schemes like ISAM or B-TREE management...

I agree that libraries like UNIX dbm are a Good Thing -- but then ISAM, B-TREE
management, and other associative retrieval schemes are not within the scope
of the original question. Let's not muddy the waters by confusing 'record
access' in the RMS "fixed and blocked record" sense with more general database
access techniques.
-- 
      Eric S. Raymond                     (the mad mastermind of TMN-Netnews)
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