(I've had some correspondence about this on the IB-Conversions list,
but I was advised to move it here.)

I am the developer of a free program with over 2,000 users, currently
using Sybase Adaptive Server Anywhere for its database. For various
reasons, I'm considering switching to Firebird.

My concern is that it has to be absolutely rock solid, zero
administration, and as close to zero problems (e.g. database
corruption) as possible. With Sybase ASA, I think in 5 years of
supporting my program I have had only 1 or 2 users who have actually
had a problem with their database.

I've asked here before, and was told that yes, Firebird is just that
rock solid.

However, I just read the first issue of The Interbase and Firebird
Developer Magazine. I see there are ads in there for products like
IBSurgeon (for repairing corrupted databases), IBFirstAid (for
diagnosing and repairing common corruptions of InterBase and Firebird
databases) and IBBackupSurgeon (for reading data from corrupted
backups).

The need for these programs has me worried about whether Firebird is
really rock-solid enough for me to use as the embedded DB in my
application or not.

Under what sorts of circumstances do Firebird databases, and their
backups, tend to get corrupted?

Thanks.