[cad-linux] data format vs data system

Been reading a lot on this book from Eric S. Raymond.  Finally got sold on the 
textual format around chapter 3.

http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/taoup/

However, I still think that a toolset should be developed to handle this data 
as a geometric model.  This would allow ad-hoc programming using the 
text-manipulation approach for simple testing and exploration, while giving 
the format a substantial leverage point and defining code body.

I'm also thinking that to connect multiple programs simultaneously to the same 
data set (and possibly across a network) that a data access and management 
system needs to be in place which can handle the geometric data, revision 
control, access control, and locking in better ways than simple file sharing 
and file systems.

This leads me to a four-tiered model of abstraction:

format <-> read/write library <-> networkable access system <-> client library

--Eric
-- 
"There are three terrible ages of childhood -- 1 to 10, 10 to 20, 
and 20 to 30."
                                        --Cleveland Amory

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