[plt-scheme] cross platform data persistence

On Tue, May 20, 2003, Rohan Nicholls wrote:
...

> I am implementing a herbal database in scheme for a friend who is a 
> naturopathic doctor, not very complex and probably no more than 10 000 
> entries.
...

> I would love some advice on this, as usually I use relational db's for 
> this, but there are none that operate on all the platforms that plt 
> does, and I think transparency is the most important issue at the 
> moment, which unfortunately rdbms files are not.  Which brings up 
> another question.   Is there a rdbms implemented in scheme?  A quick 
> google has revealed projects planning to but no results, yet.  I know 
> nothing about implementing databases, how difficult would it be?  Any 
> pointers?

I presume you realize that you can use a webserver along with a
database to distribute the information to browsers.  I bring it up
because nothing in your post seemed to eliminate the possibility.

Provided all your users can access the webserver, you get huge
advantages from serving the data from one location: OS independence;
no client software or data installations or versioning; and perhaps
most important, it becomes an interactive system.  If this is a
database by naturopathic doctors for natuopathic doctors, then likely
the users will want to make updates, corrections, and additions.  The
possibilities are really endless.

--Don