Pardon my ignorance, but have you ever worked with a relational
database before? Because the questions you are asking make me think,
that you have not understood the concept of a relational DBMS.

Having a commandline interface to your data is *very* common for the
major DBMS. The main reason is, that maintenance work for a DBMS is
usually done using scripts that run on the server and that servers are
very often not running a GUI/Windowing system at all (for easier
remote access)

What you are looking for is a front-end to your database. And from
your expectations it sounds very much like you need either a special
application designed for your needs, or you should try some kind of
RAD tool that can create the front-end for your data (e.g. Access
backed by a Firebird DBMS). Maybe even a universal GUI SQL tool (or
one especially for Firebird) would be enough for you.

A DBMS is nothing more then the server piece that is managing your
data, controls concurrent access to the data and makes sure it is
stored safely. A relational DBMS server is *not* an application front
end (just like an operating system is not a word processor)

Regards
Thomas


--- In firebird-support@yahoogroups.com, "havecatswilltravel"
<victorag@...> wrote:

>
> I really don't know what to say. Maybe I'm in the wrong place? I'll
> try not to be offensive, but it will be difficult.
>
> I have data. I need a place to store my data and I need some way to
> query that data. That's IT. When I downloaded Firebird I was
> expecting to find something I could use for the above purpose.
> Instead, it seems as though I've joined some sort of cult? Sorry, I'm
> not interested in rituals, just being able to work with a computer
> program in the usual way.
>
> I have no server. Just a computer. I have data. A fair amount. I
> activate the software I've downloaded. And I get a prompt looking very
> much like a DOS prompt. And I have no idea what I'm supposed to enter
> there -- or why in the year 2006 I am seeing such a prompt.
>
> I'm sure Firebird is not what I need. So can anyone here recommend
> what I DO need? I THOUGHT it was database software. Sorry, I must
> have been wrong.
>
> Yours Truly,
>
> Victor Grauer
>