Re: type 4 JDBC drivers

In article <6q5iq5$n3f$1@client2.news.psi.net>, "Kingsley Idehen" <kidehen@openlinksw.com> wrote: > Mike, > Mike wrote in message > <902132501.26155.0.nnrp-01.c2de7bed@news.demon.co.uk>... > >In article <6nijot$g29$1@news.xmission.com>, mcanto@intec.unl.edu.ar wrote: > >> > >>Try http://www.openlinksw.com It has a free version with up 2 concurrent > >>users. > >>Byte byte! > > > >Is this type 4?? > > This isn't a type 4. > > But what really is the difference between a type 4 and type 3 Driver (when > one gets down to bare facts) ? > > Type 4 JDBC Drivers: > ================== > Marketing Definition: > > Type 4 Driver requires only a set of Java Classes (hopefully pure) and you > are connected to Informix DB. > > Technical Journey (how this is cobbled together): > The Informix I-Connect or I-Net protocol is re-written (or reversed > engineered for 3rd party Type 4 Drivers) in Java at the client end, thereby > enabling communication with the Informix I-connect Server which talks > sockets to the Informix Database Server. > > Object Implications: > Any ills associated with I-Connect will be inherited. > Any ills associated Database Specific Application development will be > inherited > > Total Cost of Ownership: > Deceitfully expensive over the long-term (you will be at the beck an cal of > the DB vendor). These drivers aren't free as far as total cost of ownership. > You will always pay more come deployment time. > > Type 3 JDBC Drivers: > ==================== > > Marketing Definition: > A Type 4 Driver provided by a Third Party, a third party not interested in > reverse engineering the Database Vendors Proprietary across the wire > protocol. The server piece provided by the third party is not different to > the Server Components that handles I-Connect calls en route to the Database > Server, the only difference being one is installed transparently with the DB > Server and the other isn't. > > Technical Journey (how this is cobbled together): > The JDBC Driver is implemented totally in Java and also implements a > database independent across the wire protocol (hence the server piece). The > Java classes are typically much smaller than those of type 4 drivers. > > Object Implications: > Inherit the benefits of database independence at the networking layer > Inherit the benefits of Database Independent Application development . > > Total Costs of Ownership: > > Low short and long term. I'm not really interested in starting an argument; I just want a Type 4 JDBC driver for Informix. I will point out, however, that Oracle have a downloadable Type 4 JDBC driver for Oracle 7 & 8 which works fine and doesn't have any of the problems of cost, configuration etc. I'll agree that a Type 4 driver from a 3rd party is probably no better than a Type 3 setup like Openlink's which works *extremely* well. The proper source of the driver, IMHO, however, is the database vendor. Where's Informix' Type 4 driver? I'm looking at shifting development effort to Oracle because I'm now working in Java not 4GL. Peter Wiley -----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum