perl@1983:

The reason I prefer the DBI/DBD route is that you use the same interface for *any* database. Here at $work, I work with Oracle, MSSQL, SQLite and occasionally PostgreSQL. When I have to interact with a particular database, I don't have to ask myself questions like:

• OK, how do I read a result set with *this* database?
• Can I use placeholders in my query? If so, how do I do that?
• What data structure get I get my results in?

Since DBI provides a standardized interface, I can be immediately productive when I switch back to a database I use rarely, without having to reacquaint myself with a module I haven't used in a year.

Sure, there are some occasional differences between the databases, but DBI / DBD lets me ignore most of them. Occasionally, I'll need a special database-specific feature and have to read DBD::Oracle or some such. But better that than having to read documentation on all the everyday operations for selecting, inserting, updating and deleting.

That's my 1/50 of a dollar.

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.