ET Few things are more dangerous than data that doesn't know its limitations.
Application developers know the hazards of letting data roam the streets.
When any piece of an application can use any of that application's data, developers find themselves hamstrung by tentative decisions. Object-oriented software tools wrap data in access restrictions, allowing only the proper operations to take place. Developers retain their freedom to change internal representations, as long as an object still gives the expected answer to any question. It's a good thing, though the OO label is often used without being earned. Both of these groups look for ways to tunnel through any protective barrier around the data that they demand.