I'm not sure myself, but I see the following advantages if it can be
pulled off without significantly increasing complexity for the user:
- Could provide a common interface for some fraction of non-SQL databases
more sophisticated than KVMs that have similar interaction styles, that
is, it would be a true DBI, vs. a RDBI.
I think that if what's returned from the database is not (broadly construed) a relation with a (normally fixed) number of columns and a variable number of rows, it's going to need a very different API, which of course will share some parts with this API. For example, if you are returning a portion of a graph, the notion of a result-set makes no sense. Of course, there are relations outside relational databases, like single sheets of spreadsheets and CSV files.
John Cowan
http://vrici.lojban.org/~cowan xxxxxx@ccil.orgBut no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter.
You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless.
For living or dark undead, I will smite you if you touch him.