Lester, here we go again:

I wrote:

> Personnaly, I'm using always TDataset descendants. (If i need to port my

appl to other DB, the work it's

> faster this way). (...)

You reply:

> I'm not limited by that. All my customers NOW use Firebird exclusively <g>

and we have eliminated their

> other databases. ( I've got one customer left who still has an Access

application, which no longer works

> because their IT department up-graded to Access 2000 - They have asked me

to do a Firebird version

> rather than fix the Access one! )

You are a lucky person. But this is not what I'm talking about. I do
software of any kind. Sometimes I'm not the one to choose the Database.

And you never know about the future.... For 'now' my reality is 100%
Firebird. But I like to try another DB's from time to time, and there's
always some components for Delphi that are TDataset descendants and... You
get the picture.

I wrote:

> Another important parameter in this choice: IBO TDataset descendants are

very good are very powerfull.

You wrote:

> As long as you know the limits - they are excellent.

Jason helped a lot with version 4, didn't he? Yes, we have to know the
limits. As I told you I just use them when I need a TDataset descendand -
the grid's case that we have been talking about is one example.

I wrote:

> If IBO could connect to other Databases perhaps I will re-think again

about my choice.

You wrote:

> Presonally I don't see that as a requirement, but what I have seen under

the cover would suggest that

> it's also likely to be difficult. Although SQL is supposed to be

'standard' so you never know.

I don't see it as a requirement also. I even don't see it at all! I remember
that Jason wrote about this some months ago, and I liked the idea. Now I
don't like the idea. Jason is just one person, he is doing a terrific job,
and my opinion it's simple: I think Jason should stay with Firebird only
(and the other fork - what's the name... Inter-Something, I don't remember).

I wrote:

> It's a kind of Grid that it's better 'workable' in excel, for example.

[Developer Express is quite Good on

> exporting Data - they have methods like Grid.SaveToXls or

Grid.SaveToHTML].

You wrote:

> Exporting is certainly an area of interest, but I don't see a need to do

it from the grid. That said,

> I just export the dataset connected to the grid.

My users like to personalize the grid by themselfs, and export/print the
grid with that personalization. This is not very Dataset related. You know:
changing display formats, colors, ordering of the columns, and other thinks
that users like to do and we as developers never understand. But I
understand very well that when they are happy, I can buy new clothes for my
kids.

Anyway, Grids are very important. I have many customers that don't care
about the speed it they look nice. They are buying, I give them what they
want.

Artur