[Chicago-talk] Fw: DBI v2 - The Plan and How You Can Help

[Andy_Bach@wiwb.uscourts.gov]

Andy Bach, Sys. Mangler
Internet: andy_bach at wiwb.uscourts.gov 
VOICE: (608) 261-5738  FAX 264-5932

M:  Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the 
automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes.
(short pause)
A:  No it isn't.
----- Forwarded by Andy Bach/WIWB/07/USCOURTS on 07/05/2005 10:37 AM -----

Tim Bunce <Tim.Bunce at pobox.com> 
07/01/2005 07:06 PM
Please respond to
dbi-users at perl.org


To
perl6-language at perl.org, dbi-users at perl.org
cc

Subject
DBI v2 - The Plan and How You Can Help






Once upon a time I said:

  
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/perl.dbi.users/msg/caf189d7b404a003?dmode=source&hl=en


and wrote

  http://search.cpan.org/~timb/DBI/Roadmap.pod

which yielded:

  
https://donate.perlfoundation.org/index.pl?node=Fund+Drive+Details&selfund=102


(A little over $500 of that I effectively put in myself.)

My *sincere* thanks to all those who donated to the fund, especially
individuals. I had hoped for more corporate response with less from
individuals and I'm touched by the personal generosity shown.

I've not drawn any money from it yet and doubt that I will myself.
(I'm considering suggesting that the Perl Foundation make payments
from the fund to people making specific contributions to the DBI.
I'm thinking especially of work on a comprehensive test harness.
But I'll see how the developments below pan out before making
specific arrangements.)


So, that lead to:

  
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/perl.dbi.dev/browse_frm/thread/ef14a9fc0a37441f/fb8fe20a86723da0#fb8fe20a86723da0


Which sums up fairly well where I'm at: DBI v1 will rumble on for Perl 5
and DBI v2 will be implemented for Perl 6.


--- digression ---

At this point I'd like to make a slight digression to highlight the
amazing work going on in the Perl 6 community at the moment.
Especially Autrijus' Pugs project which has brought Perl 6 to life.
Literally. Take a look at:

                 http://pugscode.org/talks/yapc/slide1.html
                 http://use.perl.org/~autrijus/journal

and especially:

                 http://use.perl.org/~autrijus/journal/24898

Yes, that really is Perl 6 code using the DBI being executed by Pugs.

That's great, and I was truly delighted to see it because it takes the
pressure off the need to get a DBI working for Perl 6 - because it
already is working for Perl 6. At least for Pugs. (The Ponie project
is also likely to provide access to Perl 5 DBI from Perl 6 by enabling
future versions of Perl 5 to run on Parrot.)

--- digression ---


I have recently come to an arrangement that will enable me to put some
worthwhile development time into DBI (still very much part-time, but
enough to give it focus and move forward).

My initial goals are:

 1. to work on a more detailed specification for the DBI v2 API that
    takes advantage of appropriate features of Perl 6.

 2. to work on a more detailed specification for the DBDI API
    
http://groups-beta.google.com/group/perl.perl6.internals/msg/cfcbd9ca7ee6ab4


 3. to work on tools to automate building Parrot NCI interfaces to
    libraries (such as database client libraries, obviously :)


But I'm hoping you'll join in and help out.

I've kept an eye on Perl 6 and Parrot developments but I'm no expert in
either. What I'd like *you* to do is make proposals (ideally fairly
detailed proposals, but vague ideas are okay) for what a Perl 6 DBI API
should look like.

Keep in mind that the role of the DBI is to provide a consistent
interface to databases at a fairly low level. To provide a *foundation*
upon which higher level interfaces (such as Class::DBI, Tangram, Alzabo
etc. in Perl 5) can be built.

So, if you have an interest in the DBI and Perl 6, put your thinking
cap on, kick back and dream a little dream of how the DBI could be.
How to make best use of the new features in Perl 6 to make life easier.

Then jot down the details and email them to me (or to dbi-users at perl.org
if you want to kick them around in public for a while first).

I'm about to fly off for two weeks vacation (in a few hours), blissfully
absent of any hi-tech gear beyond a mobile phone. When I get back I'll
gather up your emails and try to distill them into a coherent whole.

Have fun!

Tim.