Re: Custom Fields Database Architecture

On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 10:21 PM, Sim Zacks<sim(at)compulab(dot)co(dot)il> wrote:

> From the user's perspective: If you design an application for me and I
> want to add a new data field or a new form, should I have to call you
> back and pay your exorbitant consulting fees? I would prefer to pay a
> little bit more at the beginning and be able to add what I want into the
> framework that was already built.

The problem with this approach is that it becomes a "slippery slope"
for the client. We have no control over what they do with this
design. So you give the client an EAV which they overuse. They call
you back anyway because they amassed redundant attributes keys many
have nearly identical key names. The client no long knows which of
the keys is the "most" correct key holding the data they want. And in
the keys they do have, the values have non-nonsensical data.

It is much easier to fix the former problem. It extremely painful to
fix the latter.

--
Regards,
Richard Broersma Jr.

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