Re: [development] Data-driven database tables and updates

Just to play devil's advocate here: Many programmers who "know" SQL really don't know it very well. The number of really good database developers working on Drupal is smaller than the number of good PHP developers. While I'm against bloat and yet another API to learn, one argument in favor of a Drupal database API is so that the database is architected by developers who really understand efficient relational database construction and usage, and the SQL for accessing it is likewise good -- instead of a more random quality we have now.