Re: Informix running on Linux

Richard Stanford <richards@herald.net> wrote: :On Sat, 26 Apr 1997, Tim Schaefer wrote: : :> So, having breathed all that, I say don't be so quick to defend Informix :> and say "no" to components of the port. Port the whole damn thing. All :> of it. Reward my loyalty by dumping in my lap everything I need to :> use the product on Linux, just as if it were on the HP or Solaris :> system at work. : :One main problem here -- the inherent differences between Linux installations. : :IMO, the biggest pain would not be porting Online to Linux, but supporting :it once its there. Since Linux is in flux so much of the time, this would :be very difficult indeed. A bussiness consentrating on problems will hardly be successful. Why do it in this case? Netscape have ported there products to Linux. Java is available. A pletora of other products exists. Generally it's easier to get Unix products to run on Linux than on SCO 5.0.x not to mention the old 3.2.4.2. Why on earth should Informix have major problems with porting their products. 4GL and SE can't possibly be very hard so that might be a start. If there are things lacking to port OnLine do it as soon as the functions becomes available. Just put out the word in the meantime what is required. As to the "flux" Linux is in "so much of the time" this is plain wrong. If it's ported to a version of Linux that version is by definition not in a "flux". It's simply the version required to run Informix. You use any other version and you are on your own. It's that simple. Remember most of the users will with all probability set up a machine that runs as nothing but a database server and possibly an application server for 4GL applications. If it runs there is generally no need for upgrades. If there are, to run some other software, that may often be done on another machine. Remember how cheap these machines are. As to support Informix may have the regular support options for the supported version of Linux. That can't be harder than on SCO Unix. They should also have a no support option but where you could still buy upgrades at an upgrade price. There is no way any of this can be hard. It may require a new mindset, but hard it's not. The upside opportunities are so large with a Linux port, and the downside so miniscule I can not find any reason why Informix shouldn't do it. Informix, go for it, take the opportunity and get back entusiasm from a vast group of developers. The short and long run benefits can be tremendous. Nils.Myklebust@idg.no NM Data AS, P.O.Box 9090 Gronland, N-0133 Oslo, Norway My opinions are those of my company The Informix FAQ is at http://www.iiug.org