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>What database did you use? We didn't use one. We just stored everything in files. The Unix file system is pretty good at not losing your data, [...] It is a co
by tannhaeuser 6y ago
>What database did you use? We didn't use one. We just stored everything in files. The Unix file system is pretty good at not losing your data, [...] It is a common mistake to think of Web-based apps as interfaces to databases ...
This. I mean URLs were designed to encode Unix file names. Today you'd probably say 'it's a common mistake to think of Web-based apps as interfaces to "REST APIs"'.
Now the question of all questions is why viaweb was recreated in a non-LISP language (though probably discussed to death here) ...
- lisper 6y agoThe unix file system is a database, just not a particularly capable one. It is a hierarchical key-value database, with the file/directory name being the key. If your data fits that schema you're golden, otherwise not so much.
- tannhaeuser 6y agoTrue, but a bit reductionist. A Unix file system also gives certain guarantees. For example, you can atomically rename a complete directory tree while client program keep accessing the "old" ones, you have a large choice of excellent SCMs for tracking files, can have networked and/or distributed file systems, uniform permissions or ACLs ... all of which come in handy if you're running a web server.