For anybody who is managing their content with an XML database, does it live up to the hype? Why or why not?

Hi Nick

I am not sure what hype you refer to, but we use a DB to XMl to drive e-learning courses. We find this a serious improvement over previous approaches.

Has an XML document as its fundamental unit of (logical) storage, just as a relational database has a row in a table as its fundamental unit of (logical) storage.

Is not required to have any particular underlying physical storage model. For example, it can be built on a relational, hierarchical, or object-oriented database, or use a proprietary storage format such as indexed, compressed files.

I've also found that a database is the best way to store and retrieve content. XML is good for integration, but wouldn't put all of my content in there. Too cumbersome to maintain and will not scale like a database.

Sheldon Murphy
Solid State Learning
E-Learning Consulting

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Sheldon,

XML is definately the way to go if you want to manage your content (such as text, images, etc.) separately from interfaces/interactions made in XHTML, Flash, etc.

For example, we manage the text/picture content in our eLearnings through XML which allows for easy updates by anybody who can read a text file, easy toggling of multiple languages, etc.

I don't know what XML "hype" you are referring to as it's a globally accepted and commonly used business programing standard. In some aspects I would even say it's an "old" language now considering we have much newer languages like AJAX, Ruby on Rails, etc.

Depending on what you want to do or what your goals are you may benefit from using XML in your eLearning development, but in some cases it may not be worth the additional time it takes up-front.