Object Database vs. Object-Relational Databases

When you don't know where you want to go, any road will take you there. Users need to understand the differences between object database management systems and the newer object relational database management systems (ORDBMSs). ORDBMSs will support some of the object extensions needed by today's more complex applications. Because of the relative size of the RDBMS vendors' marketing infrastructures, the ORDBMS market will surpass the size of the ODBMS market in the next five years. Nevertheless, putting object extensions on RDBMSs is tantamount to adding stereo radios and global navigation systems to horse-drawn carriages. You will have interesting enhancements, but the wrong base vehicle. In the end, it won't be the appropriate vehicle for the information superhighway.