On 13 Feb 2002, at 11:13, Sandeep wrote:

> On 12 Feb 2002, at 21:50, Artur Anjos wrote:
>
> > (We really should move this to IBDI before Helen kick us all)
> >
> > But, (while Helen is sleeping). the most relevant part of this
> > article for us - Firebird users - is: "But which will emerge as
> > winners? "On my radar screen, I'm seeing some interest in MySQL,
> > somewhat less with PostgreSQL. I'm hearing nothing about
> > InterBase/Firebird or SAPDB," says Gartner analyst Jon Rubin.
> >
> > Users are willing to invest in MySQL and PostgreSQL because they
> > appear to have more momentum behind them and therefore a better
> > future, he says."
> >
> > I'm with Claudio when he says that we must choose the rigth tool for
> > the job, but first we must do something to make Firebird appear in
> > the 'tools list'.
>
> I agree. Majority of interbase users are peopleusing borland tools.
>

But not all do, right now I am using the combination of Firebird and
MS Visual C++, with IBPP to access the database. There are
some things that are needed though, and this may get back to
being closer to on topic, although I cross posted this to IBDI, and
ask that your reply there rather then in the ib-support list. Before
spanker wakes up and bans a few of us (I think she's mad now)

The problem is that we are missing some big pieces of the pie, first
of all ODBC, there are 3 or 4 free ODBC drivers, and a couple of
commercial ones, the free ones range from the sublime to the
ridiculous, if we are going to "market" a free product, it needs a
decent and fully functional free ODBC driver. The official one is Jim
Starkeys, the binaries available from IBPhoenix are the same as
last July, not even the web pages has changed so it looks
abandoned.

Second, we need a good, basic front end tool, this is something I
am working with some other folks on in the Firebird Front End Tool
Discussion group, anyone with ideas, please come over and make
your opinion known.

Third we need our own identity, an installation on Windows should
go into "Program Files\Firebird" by default, and not "Program
Files\Borland\Interbase" Just as on Linux it should go into
/usr/Firebird or /opt/Firebird by default, it being up to the end user
to make the final decision.

Fourth Marketing, and that's really what Sports Tank is all about,
what I would like to see, is a promotions kit, including the software
on CD, the stuffed toy, and maybe a brochure or some other
marketing junk. A developer wanting to use Firebird could then
order a few copies and either give one to the superior/client who
says "Give me MS-SQL Server or give me death". Note the kit has
to be cheap enough that you can give it away ( anything over
US$30, is probably too expensive).

The CD would include binaries of all existing ports, the CVS tree,
any libraries or other stuff needed (like Glibc 2.2 for Linux) and all
of the documentation files. To cover the costs, companies involved
in producting FB centric products, could pay a small fee to include
a demo of their product on the CD, plus include their own
promotional materials (1 page per product).

Paul
Paul Schmidt
Tricat Technologies
paul@...
www.tricattechnologies.com