Ann,

All that is needed in Firebird is support for a
128-bit number native type and a way to automatically
convert those numbers from the UUID/GUID format into
the 128-bit numbers. I believe that shouldn't be hard
to accomplish even for a group of "volunteers." If
that type is called "uniqueidentifier" then this will
make it compatible with Microsoft's SQL Server. I'll
be quite happy to perform testing for you if someone
will implement this type.

Internally Firebird would treat this as a 128-bit
number. Externally (i.e. through SQL) it would treat
it as a 38-byte character field.

The uniqueness of the UUID is irrelevant to the
Firebird implementation. Leave this up to the
developers who use Firebird to resolve.

BTW, I'm sure this would help you to convert some SQL
Server developers into Firebird developers. :-)
Without supporting uniqueidentifier it is quite a bit
harder to port SQL Server apps to Firebird.

Cheers,
Kevin.


--- "Ann W. Harrison" <aharrison@...> wrote:

> Does anyone have a
> significant degree of confidence that no two
> generated 128 bit strings
> will ever collide if different ID generators are
> used on different
> systems? If not, I'd suggest that the technology
> is not yet mature and
> add it to the list of things (like Linux
> installation standards) that
> just aren't worth tracking in a project that has a
> limited number of
> workers who are mostly volunteer.

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