dmbaker (2/18/2008)
Eric Wilson (2/14/2008)
Regarding the overall article's topic:The only possible reason to want an ARRAY type is because of assumptions of how the data will be *physically* organized. But we should have simply TABLES (including in-memory tables, table variables, etc.) and have some control over physical-level implementation concerns like whether it's -- under the hood -- sorted in a particular way. Those physical details do not impact the logical ways we interact with the table--which is in fact one of the points!
I think you're missing the point. An array is a programming construct, not a relational one. I think it's pretty safe to say that all modern programming languages support arrays, it's not unreasonable to desire that T-SQL be brought into the 20th (sorry, I mean the 21st) century and offer support for this fundamental programming construct.
Of course, it could be argued that we do have it now, with CLR integration in SQL Server (and also ability to pass relational structures between client and server, a.k.a. the DataSet). But that's a whole other can of worms.
With due respect, I'm afraid you missed my point. One (major) goal of the Relational Model was to be as uncluttered as possible. To that end, relations (a.k.a. tables) provide all the necessary complexity we need. Arrays, or any other data structure, only add complexity without adding additional power! This leads to arbitrariness of solutions and additional confusion between the logical and physical layers. No good can come of it.
Most programming languages do not have this "minimalist" goal. And a lot of the complexity I've seen over the years can be attributed to this: different programmers use arbitrarily different solutions because--well--they can. But it doesn't mean that's a good thing. More "options" or complexity does not mean "better."
Including things into an otherwise cleanly constructed system, just because it's common elsewhere is, frankly, a really dumb reason to do it. Show me the extra power (semantically) that Arrays give me over tables, and I'll be sold. But I'm certain no one can because tables are more powerful (if implemented fully in the system--which admittedly is not the case in most systems today).
Before asking for new features in an RDBMS, people really owe it to themselves to understand the goals of such a system in the first place. Asking for Arrays undeniably indicates ignorance of the relational model.