> Trying to bend Rails into non-AR database usage is going to lead to tears sooner rather than later IMO. It's just so very integrated.
Is that really true? While I've barely used Rails in anger, and not at all recently, I was under the impression that all the major Ruby ORMs and high-level database libraries (e.g., DataMapper, Sequel) are heavily focussed on Rails usage and usually around AR pain points like working with DBs in Rails that don't fit ARs opinionated patterns.
> Having separate applications with (write) access to the same database is similarly going to end in trouble.
It shouldn't, if the DB is designed for that, which usually means each application sees the DB exclusively through its own set (probably in a distinct schema) of views, and keeps it's filthy little hands off base tables. That's a best practice for multiple application access to an RDBMS that is older than the Web.
Is that really true? While I've barely used Rails in anger, and not at all recently, I was under the impression that all the major Ruby ORMs and high-level database libraries (e.g., DataMapper, Sequel) are heavily focussed on Rails usage and usually around AR pain points like working with DBs in Rails that don't fit ARs opinionated patterns.
> Having separate applications with (write) access to the same database is similarly going to end in trouble.
It shouldn't, if the DB is designed for that, which usually means each application sees the DB exclusively through its own set (probably in a distinct schema) of views, and keeps it's filthy little hands off base tables. That's a best practice for multiple application access to an RDBMS that is older than the Web.