Re: Informix vs. Oracle

donb@pdx.csd.mot.com (Don Bolton) writes: } Their forms package does NOT communicate to their report writing package } Their "procedural" SQL cannot be used for OUTPUT, only program variables } or TABLE data. } } Outwardly, that "simple, ez to use, etc" forms package looks *slick* } now try a *real* task with it and spend a lifetime debugging your } triggers. And oh yeah you'll need a *seperate* set of screens to } drive those reports. } } Orifice controls a lot of things for the developer transparently which } seems neat until you realize what its doing is absolutely bass-ack- } wards to what you need to do. (conditional depending..) } } Orifice *does* have a *superb* set of extensions to their SQL } implementation, a lot of reporting can be run from straight sql } scripts, but if you need something procedural in nature your } hosed without doing a bunch of temp tables first and then doing } reporting. } }Informix, to the Oracle bigot, seems crude, but in reality is a far easier }environment in which to get *real* tasks done, can be written to do nearly }anything concievable (4gl) by anyone who has ever used any kind of a }programming }language. Thats not to say one couldn't do a lot in Orifice too, but,,,, its }sold as an environment requiring *less* technical people and in reality thats }just not true. } My experience of the forms package confirms what Don says. Although development by form is novel to start with, for a large project it rapidly becomes very tedious and slow. Especially if you want to make small changes. }These opinions are mine although I have found them to be shared by many deve- }lopers who have worked with both products. They do not nessicarily represent }the opinions of my company. } Having worked with both Oracle and Informix also, I agree with Don's sentiments. However, I have to admit I haven't used Oracle for a couple of years, having switched to Informix with my current employer. }UNLESS Oracle has changed DRASTICLY in the past 6 months, its an overcomplex }menagerie of dis-associated products.. } This may be the sticking point. My understanding is that with the release of V7.0, Oracle HAS changed drasticly and that reviewers in the literature who were previously anti-Oracle are now raving about it. Any Oracle 7.0 users like to comment on this? +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ Ron Lees rlees@pdact.pd.necisa.oz.au Software Development Centre (Canberra) Voice: +61-6-2516411 NEC Information Systems Australia Pty Ltd Fax: +61-6-2516947 PO Box 244, Belconnen ACT 2616, AUSTRALIA A.C.N. 002068546 +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+