[Zope] Newbie Questions - many-many relationships? Zope 2 or 3?

[Philip Kilner]

Hi Jim,

Jim Vine wrote:
> I’d greatly appreciate any guidance that can be
> provided on these subjects.
> 

I know a lot has been said since your original query, but re-reading it
I was surprised that no one had asked a fundamental question: -

"If the data is structured in nature and fits the relational model well
(e.g. is well defined), why not use an RDBMS for the data, and
Zope/Plone for the UI?

I do full-time development of web-based RDBMS applications in Zope and
Plone (MS SQL and Firebird), and I have the following observations: -

- By putting database-related complexity in the database, where it
belongs IMHO, you may find (as I have) that the complexity of what you
need to accomplish in Zope is reduced to the point where the ZMI
approach is entirely appropriate.

- You will find yourself working very hard to implement a relational
database in the ZODB, compared to interfacing to an RDBMS. If you need
one, I'd use one - instead of writing one! ;-)

YMMV and all that - I /am/ an RDBMS zealot (see Fabian Pascal's writing
for the mindset!), and I am /not/ a Python wizard (although my Python-Fu
grows stronger by the day due to immersion in Zope...), so my choice of
approach was strongly influenced by my starting point.


-- 

Regards,

PhilK

Email: phil at xfr.co.uk
PGP Public key: http://www.xfr.co.uk
Voicemail & Facsimile: 07092 070518

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