--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "Hey it's Filippo"
<pandiani69@h...> wrote:

>
> Hi there,
> I am a new user with Firebird (I used to work on MS SQL)
> but believe this is a better solution to my needs.
>
> I need the basis to understand if I can use this DB as my final choice
> and would like to know where I can learn:
>
> 1) Installation requirements
> 2) Prerequisite
> 3) Compatibility whit Windows 95 and above
> 4) Version difference
>

First off, get "The Firebird Book". Its a good investment.
Other members of this group can give you better technical answers.
I'm just a programmer. I've used Advantage, DBISAM (which I really
like for a non networked single install app, because it is so
portable) and MSSql.

You didn't mention what front end you are using, but I use Delphi.
Here is why I like Firebird.
1. Reasonably fast
2. Good transaction control. (which means little or no data corruption.)
3. Optimistic locking. Which is really valuable when you have a good
size network hammering with multiple queries and SP's. (Firebird
doesn't lock a record until you start to update, and only hold the
lock until committed.) This is a lot better than having to remember
to write 'NO LOCK' on your MSSql query.
4. Event notification. Its like a super charged DCOM given to you on
a silver platter. Plus think of all the resource you save by not
having your client poll the database to see if any changes have taken
place.
5. The TCP/IP type connection lends itself to distributed computing,
especially through a tunnel like ZeBeDee.
6. Indexes are fantastically simple. Lets say you have a table that
needs an index on three fields. With Firebird, you create 3 indexes,
one for each field, and you let firebird manipulate your indexes as it
needs to for the best results on the query. Thats a far cry from
needing up to 8 indexes on MSSql to cover every possible combination
of compound and simple indexes.
7. Maintenance is so minimum, the need is virtually non-existant.
Most of the maintenance task can be programmed in your front end. You
don't have to do anything unless you want to.
8. Support is incredible. You will always find someone who knows how
to do what you want to do, especially on this list.
9. Oh, did I mention it is free?

There may be even more compelling reasons that I haven't listed. I am
not a 'major brain', if you know what I mean. I just like things that
work and work the way they are supposed to. In Firebird, I have a
really solid, dependable backend.

E. D. Epperson Jr.