The Language of MultiValue
Multivalue does mainstream work but, historically, the MultiValue database has been isolated from mainstream technologies. Many in the MultiValue market found it humorous and some even thought of it as a proud moment when the MultiValue market was called "the best kept secret in business."
As participants in the MultiValue market we are interested in seeing this technology continue to thrive, so we need to find ways to end our isolation and become mainstream. This is not a new concept. Many have recognized this for a long time. However, there is still much to do.
The language of MultiValue, or in other words, the language that we use to describe MultiValue technologies (databases, applications, features, etc.) is mired in terms that help keep MultiValue isolated. It is time we all learn to use the language of mainstream database technologies and incorporate that into our day-to-day way of describing our technology. We hold it in such high regards, we need to make it easy for others to see why.
It isn't uncommon in our market today to hear discussions of NoSQL. There are many opinions on whether a MultiValue database is a NoSQL database. However, I suggest adopting the position that MultiValue databases are NoSQL. It is one way to help establish these databases are already in the new definition of mainstream. We can incorporate NoSQL terms like key-value pair and document database to connect MultiValue market to the NoSQL movement.
In addition to using terms like key-value pair and document database to describe the MultiValue technology, I also suggest that we learn terms that are used by SQL databases like table, row and column and understand how these relate to MultiValue terms like file, record and attribute. Attribute is one of those terms that has a different meaning outside of MultiValue and when we use that term in our conversation with non-MultiValue people, we are often misunderstood.
As an initial step, better understanding the terms used in other database technologies, is important. We need to do more. It probably isn't enough today to only know MultiValue. We live in a multi-technology world where interfacing with and understanding diverse technologies is essential. We have to make an effort, as people in this industry, to connect our relevant and valuable technology to other tech by our word choices and by our knowledge. MultiValue is certainly a viable option for traditional line-of-business applications.
