As a user of Interbase database server since version 1, I'm for forking a
distro separate from Inprise's. I'm also willing to participate the actual
work on an open source project.
IB has gone a long way, it was there before Oracle or MS-SQL server or
Sybase etc. Only DEC's RDB(/DBMS) existed before (of the current players).
We know, why that was the fact. And that's why, the IB OS community should
use all effort to get Jim Starkey in charge of the IB core / CVS tree.
IB's been hosted by various companies. Supportwise (and for marketing),
things started to go wrong, when Borland became the host. They dumped
existing userbase (Unix, VMS) for a start (obviously there was no expertise
for these technologies in the company). They downrgaded IB to a testbase
of Delphi (to test the Delphi app to be run on a real db). Later, things
got a bit better, but not enough, as can be seen. If there weren't
individuals like Paul Beach (to name one), IB would have died long ago.
That's why I hope Paul, Ann Harrison and co would start a business to sell
support for open source IB (whatever the new, if required, will be). I'm
willing to be a part of that business, if it's applicable.

Veli-Matti Hurskainen

Btw, no comments from Cognos, a former host of Interbase (and a much better
host than Borland/Inprise), for a long time (except Diane Brown's personal
attendance to the IB@mers -list). Could they be a potential sponsor to the
community or a distributor (like Corel on Linux)? They still have Interbase
as a natively supported db for their PowerHouse-products.

______________________________________________________________________
Veli-Matti Hurskainen Softa Oy
Telephone +358-17-2870600 Puijonkatu 24 B
+358-400-575978 SF-70110 KUOPIO
Telefax +358-17-2870601 FINLAND
e-mail vmh@...