[Sigia-l] The Horror of Access Database

[karl fast]

> > Web search engine queries have their roots in full-text information
> > retreival systems. The query model in a relational database does not
> > function the same way.
> 
> Not if you don't design it that way. 

The point was that an RDBMS doesn't use inverted indexes, unlike a
full-text system. And SQL isn't designed for doing these types of
queries.

This makes it difficult to build a search interface to a relational
database so it functions like a full-text web search engine. 

You can do it, but it's not a mere interface issue (which, I agree,
is generally overlooked by the average DBA). You need to add extra
logic and be careful with the SQL. Even simple things like
truncation are difficult. 

These problems become simpler with SQL Server or Oracle or another
high end RDBMS that supports full-text indexes. Access, however,
doesn't have this. IIRC the original post was talking about Access.

You're right, of course, that you can make it work. I was just
pointing out that the the problems here run deeper than the
interface.


--karl