> > 1) Why would one want to use dbExpress over
> > IBX/IBO/FIBPlus (or vice versa)?
>
> If you want your app to use more than one 'backend', not just
> FB. If you are only developing for a single 'database' a
> native component set is always better IMO.

Right. But what are the specific reasons a native component
set would 'always be better'?

In the case of dbExpress vs. FIBPlus/IBO/IBX, how big a speed
improvement does one get for the latter and what exact features
do the latter have that one doesn't get with the former? Are
there any other considerations besides speed and features?

I'd like to know if the advantages of native components are
worth forgoing future backend-flexibility for.

(Thanks for the answers by the way.)