Re: DSA vs Online Workgroup

The previous correspondent has obviously misunderstood OnLine WorkGroup Server. The way I see it OWG is cut down DSA. No PDQ, and certainly none of the version 8 and 9 features. I guess he must have got carried away with the FREE lunch. > I recently saw a brief demo of Online Workgroup. I was duly impressed, > but wondered at the future of both DSA and SE. From the questions I > asked, it seemed that Online Workgroup had all the DB Engine features > of DSA (in fact, we were told that essentially it *was* the DSA > engine). > > Given that, what possible reason is there for recommending (and > purchasing) DSA? Online Workgroup is priced below DSA and has an > apparently full feature set. In my mind, a new installation would have > great difficulty choosing DSA over Online Workgroup. A few reasons > that DSA might be considered; > > 1) Online Workgroup is not ported to Unix > - but will be soon, so that will go away in the short term. > > 2) Site still has terminal only access. This may be valid, but if we > are talking "new" installation, it's unlikely. > > 3) Existing applications using DSA (or SE). Again, there may be an > administrative plus to using the existing infrastructure, but > connectivity tools can minimise the risk and Online Workgroup could > still be a better alternative ($$$ could go either way in this > instance.) > > Not great arguments you'll agree. Informix has even tried to > differentiate the products by imposing the artificial constraint of a > ceiling on the hardware for Online Workgroup. This is the dual > (or was it quad) processor maximum on which Online Workgroup can be > installed. The "Intel only" part is just a matter of the initial port, > but the processor maximum is surely cosmetic. > > Assuming there is no technical reason for the restriction, is it > Informix's way of squeezing the last breath from DSA (and certainly > SE) before other ports of Online Workgroup are available? > > Should we all be putting our DSA/SE manuals on the bottom shelf of the > bookcase (the one where most of the collective dust is kept) and > enrolling in Online Workgroup courses? > > No critism of Informix intended here, just an interesting (I think) > point of discussion. > > > Bryan Tonnet > batonnet@zeta.org.au Malcolm Weallans Online Database Consultancy Phone 01628-72154 Fax 01628-37463 CIX - onlinedbc