Re: The impact of data format selection on application development

Hello Norman, Michael, and Mukul,

Excellent comments! You have given me a lot to chew on. Thank you.

As I understand it, in the Unix philosophy if a simple data format needs to be modified, just create a new simple data format. Since it's a simple data format, it's easy to quickly create new tools and/or adapt existing tools. If the old data format is no longer needed, discard it.

My colleague pointed me to the Unix philosophy, which I really like:

        - Make each program do one thing well. To do a new job, build afresh rather than complicate old programs by adding new "features".

        - Expect the output of every program to become the input to another, as yet unknown, program. Don't clutter output with extraneous information. Avoid stringently columnar or binary input formats. Don't insist on interactive input.

        - Design and build software, even operating systems, to be tried early, ideally within weeks. Don't hesitate to throw away the clumsy parts and rebuild them.

        - Use tools in preference to unskilled help to lighten a programming task, even if you have to detour to build the tools and expect to throw some of them out after you've finished using them.

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unix_philosophy

Comments?

/Roger

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