>
>I think, that open source Interbase could've made it to the linux-standard
>in all dirstributions, and with having an PHP-module, also could've replaced
>mySQL at many ISP's. Until now, the user-base of Interbase/Firebird didn't
>grow significantly, and by far not enough since december '99. Taking a look
>at the message-count on the mers-list, it seems, that a lot of users are
>perhaps ex-interbase users now, as the number of messages is sinking
>steadily.

As you are well aware the linux/freebsd world is dominated by mysql and
postgres. In the face of confusion and gnashing of teeth and pulling of
hair a typical user probably decided to leave it alone till the dust
settled. I think that interbase still has a chance to gain mindshare and
market share if it can..

1) convince the community that the dust has settled and people are working
hard to make a great product even better.
2) Interbase offers something that Mysql and postgres don't.

Perhaps in a future article or review there ought to be an effort to
differentiate interbase from the other open source databases so that a
typical user can simply have a list of items to check off.

It probably didn't help that at around the same time that IB got open
sourced SAP made their database open source, great bridge jumped on the
postgres bandwagon, nusphere/oreilly jumped on mysql bandwagon etc.