From: sleeper75se (sleeper75se_at_yahoo.se)
Date: 2002-03-06 03:01:28
--- In buildcheapeeg_at_yahoogroups.com, Doug Sutherland <wearable_at_earthlink.net> wrote:
> Regarding files and file formats, a few comments ...
>
> Databases are useful when you have a large amount of data
> that you want to retreive randomly by a key (ie from the
> middle of the data set somewhere), where you want to do
> queries based on certain search criteria, or for dynamic
> aggregations or statistics.
Hi Doug,
A bf-practicioner or researcher may want to track the progress of
dozens of patients over some fifty sessions or more and create
summaries and statistics. Even a single user training by himself
could benefit from this. For a single session, it would not make much
sense, I agree. And I see where you are coming from - it is difficult
to install an SQL-server on an embedded device - although there is an
embedded version of MySQL.
Ok, we're not there yet, so right now it may sound like overkill,
though I like to think it could mean less work and working on a
higher level of abstraction.
> Another reason to avoid databases is to keep the system
> small and maneagable. We already have two additional
> packages (FFTW and SDL) and I think we should keep the
> add-on to a minimum, and keep the executable code small
> so it performs well even on older systems.
Yes, but think of it this way: Since samples and perhaps aggregate
data are streamed to regular files, the database would only help to
keep track of that data and not use many CPU cycles during sessions.
Look at it as a more convenient way of saving and managing
configuration data, session scripts or whatever, than regular files.
A raw file system using directory trees, like the one you propose,
could do exactly the same thing but would need much more work going
into developing management tools.
Regards,
Andreas
PS. Off topic: Check out http://www.senseboard.com DS.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : 2002-07-27 12:28:39 BST