> The result shows :
> delphi based program took 1 minute and 10 seconds to finish while
> java based program took 1 minute 35 seconds.
>
> The number of returning records is about 12000 recods.
>
> When i noticed the memory usage firebird database only consumed about
> 19000K while Microsoft SQL Server 2000 consumed about 300000K.

...the numbers are from my POV quite low (sure, I did not see your
tests)... The memory usage can be configured - the DefaultDbCachePages
parameter, also the SortMemUpperLimit parameter...

But without having your tests we cannot tell anything useful at all.

Roman