At 08:05 AM 05-10-00 -0400, you wrote:

>Hi:
>
> Anyone know what an Inprise "certified release" of IB6 is?
>Supposedly it will include an ODBC driver?

A "certified" release of IB used to be one whose every component had been
subjected to a full QA programme and found capable in whole and in part of
doing what it was supposed to do on the platform it was built for.

These days, the QA role has passed to the beta testers (last 11 months or
so) and now the users. Perhaps we should have a contest for the best
redefinition of "certified release". Anyone willing to put up a prize?

Why do you suppose it includes an ODBC driver? Your options at the moment
are to buy the Easysoft driver or to contribute to the cost of the
completion and QA of the Starkey driver (which will be open source once its
paid for) and earn the privilege of being a pre-release user. Soon enough,
the options will be "cheap driver" or "free driver". Under current
conditions, it seems pretty obvious any ODBC driver or PHP driver or any
other sort of driver is going to be an add-on - some free, some not; some
subjected to full QA; others not. Can't grumble. Free is "free access,
free range, free spirit, free choice, free market" not freeloading or "free
beer".

Helen
(a free thinker)
All for Open and Open for All
InterBase Developer Initiative · http://www.interbase2000.org
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