What is ....

[David Bandel]

On 2/9/06, Ben Duncan <bns at meta3.net> wrote:
> Ok, thanks everyone. The reason I asked is DBM stuff I am
> copying from, often to refer to bit-mappin' the index (WTFIT?) and
> using a bit-map for telling what "fields" are indices.
>
> I can see the usage from when disk space was a premium (Kinda like the
> old COMP-3 stuff in Cobol), but as another question:
>
> Now that we have HUGE disk drives, would it not be as feasible to simply
> use short unsigned int in an array configuration to do the same?

Hmmm.  Many years ago when I did real programming, I remember breaking
bytes into nybbles for memory conservation.  Even today the rational
would be for pointers you might need to use often, this is still the
best way because no matter how much memory you have, the coveted 0th
page (where your registers are) still has limited memory and is still
the fastest access.  I doubt that has changed.  Loading stuff there
boosts access times drastically for stuff you're needing to access
constantly.

I'm sure Kurt could update/fix any errors in the above (it has been
years as I said).  But the principals still apply even if my
terminology or use thereof is outdated.

>
> I am just looking to figure out the best way to:
>
> A; Keep the code base maintainable by all walks of programming
>     Life Forms ( ;-> )
> B: Make it efficient and reasonably fast

ahh, here's the rub.

> C: Apply the K.I.S.S. principal ...

The above reads to me like:  fast, cheap, good:  pick any two.

>
>
> I already know that the SLAG DBM engine is going to have to be
> a B+tree ISAM type database, that it will have a limit of 32
> possible key fields per datafile  - One master, the rest secondary,
> ( If one needs MORE the 32, it is time to implement some sort of
> SQL !!! ), be of a multivalue , variable length record style.
>
>
> As Always:
> Any Comments, suggestions, critique are always welcome and
> sometimes appreciated ;-)
>
> Thanks ...
>
> Roger Oberholtzer wrote:
> Kurt Wall wrote:
>
> And others wrote:
>
> <SNIP>
>

Ciao,

David A. Bandel
--
Focus on the dream, not the competition.
            - Nemesis Air Racing Team motto