A Synopsis of LifeLine History:
Over 6 years and numerous iterations of software, a simple idea has been continuously refined. Try and build a generic query system around a Database Schema Pattern that can be used to represent a wide range of specific Database Schema. Over time, we keep rebuilding the system from scratch -- to dust off the detritus of our current incarnation, and look at the basic idea with a fresh sheet. We began with a Desktop application focus, using MS Access. Then we switched to a client-server focus using Java. Currently we are again re-building, this time with an Internet centric focus, using Python.
1998: ACT98 -- the proto
LifeLine is created. It focusses on modifying an Analysis Pattern for "Medical Observations" to Forestry Monitoring Data. Built in Access 97.
2000:
LifeLine AI 2000 -- Several years and several data sets later,
LifeLine AI 2000 is built around a set of design principles for Databases which can be represented as a Tree-like pattern of Parent and Child Tables. Built in Access 2000.
2001 - 2002:
LifeLine 2.1 and 3.1 one created in fairly quick succession.
LifeLine 2.1 is a fairly straightforward port of
LifeLine AI 2000 from Access/VBA to Java.
LifeLine 3.1 added support for Oracle and
Postgres databases. In particular, the ability to support Spatial Queries via the Postgres add-on
PostGIS was incorporated.
2004:
LifeLine 3.2 adds in support for use of
MapServer, so that queries on Spatial data can be visualized as maps.
2005:
LifeLine 4.0 will be a complete rebuild of
LifeLine in Python, focussing on a more generalized query engine that will support Tree and Forest-like graph structures. It will be approached iteratively, beginning first with a port of current
LifeLine 3.2 functionality to Python (
LifeLine 3.4).
So -- now is the time to let us know what capabilities you would like to see in the next incarnation of
LifeLine!
--
MishtuBanerjee - 20 Oct 2004
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