> Yes, there are quite a few niche cases where data storage is better
> handled by Object (hierarchical) Databases than by relational ones.
> OODBs perform much better storing and retrieving large numbers of small
> objects organized in a hierarchical way.
>
> The reason they (OODBs) are not more popular has to do with the fact
> that these use cases are not very frequent and NOT with the fact that
> such use cases just do not exist.

Do note that "performance" has nothing to do with "relation model"
as the basis for data storage.

Nor does "OODBMS" have anything to do with performance, but
rather with "API" or "interface". Or at least, it should ;-)

With regards,

Martijn Tonies
Database Workbench - developer tool for InterBase, Firebird, MySQL & MS SQL
Server
Upscene Productions
http://www.upscene.com