[plug] Suggestion for web site

[Craig Ringer]

Cameron Patrick wrote:

>>On the other hand, specifically for the sort of thing you're describing
>>I think a database would be ideal.
> 
> A "database", yes -- but not necessarily an SQL database.  (I say this
> because [a] I don't know anything about SQL; [b] there aren't likely
> to be /that/ many records; and [c] it doesn't really keep with the
> 'everything is a text file' layout of the current site.)
> 
>>My personal opinion on the matter is (a) why not just subscribe, and (b)
>>such a page is fine by me but should prominently display record age and
>>have a way of "confirming" records to update the timestamp.
> 
> Agreed.  Hmm, that confirming mechanism would probably be easier with
> SQL though.  Maybe I retract my previous paragraph.

Honestly, the task being described is begging for a relational database 
and would be fairly trivial to implement with one. Using an RDBMS can 
make things harder where one is not really needed or where you're really 
trying to use it as something else. On the other hand, they make things 
very quick, simple and easy when used for their core purpose - and 
storing this sort of data is very much their core purpose.

>>In other words, it should be possible to look at the page and say
>>"Hmm, these folks carried <blah> 9 months ago but no news since."
> 
> I have a nasty suspicion it would end up like the old PLUG site,
> i.e. a few entries put in to start with, then no updates for ages.

As do I.

--
Craig Ringer