Re: Opinions on Informix

> No, > Consider Informix an electronic shifting versus Oracle a manual clutch. > > Informix is a sports car that if not tuned properly, you crash and burn. > Oracle? Its harder to set up initially, but less functions to tune. > > Informix may lack some of the "front end" tools, that Oracle OEMs, but > with Java, all you need is a good JDBC and you can use any java based tool. > (Of course how well Oracle/Sybase/Informix follow the JDBC interface, > your milage will vary.) Oops, sorry there could be so many misinterpretations to my original automobile analogy. Must have been a late and tired night. Let me first say a few things: 1. I tend to speak with an app-developer perspective, since I design and implement applications more than I manage databases (although you can't really separate them...besides people in this group seem to be way above me when coming to know individual dbms's) 2. I am really not biased towards any particular vendor since I get thrown into projects left and right and switch db's as I move from project to project. That being said, in this kind of work scenario sometimes predefined functions and tools can be a plus when you need to get the job done quick (and dirty) and the system performance/load is less of an issue. However, had I more time to delve deeper into the innards of the db I wouldn't hesitate. 3. You guys probably know more about databases in general than I do. 4. I'm in Korea, and the work environment, mentality, etc is slightly different from other places (as are any different locations) As for the car analogy, what I meant to say was that when I drop down my briefcase, take my jacket off and sit in front of a workstation/terminal and get to work with limited db access rights, Oracle seems to be slightly more straighforward and has lesser unknowns and variables out of my control. Perhaps my background is tainted because of more exposure to Oracle, but please correct me if I am wrong. Play with the optimizer badly, though, you can send Oracle into a rabid fit. This is really a question: Is Oracle a "heavier" engine? Meaning it takes more hardware to do the same stuff? I believe it takes more memory per user, but other things I am not sure. I have limited comparison data here in Korea because more than half the db's I've worked with is Oracle, and they all seem to have been bigger machines that those running Informix, Sybase, Unify, etc. Just for fluff: In Korea it seems like it's easier for me to ask the people upstairs: "The DB is slow, so buy me more memory and cpu." than "The DB is slow, so give me more time to look at it." This is the most maddening part, I guess. Jay.

I am also in Asia. I make money from Informix,Oracle and SQL/server. So I don't want anyone go into trouble. I invest a lot on each Certified training :-} Clarify some points: (I use Oracle 804, Informix 7.3TC3 and SQL/server 6.5SP3) 1. Oralce has more more options on tuning than others (near 50 config. in init.ora and optimization hints for programmer). Take optimizer as example, Oracle use cost (default)/rule base and optimier hints for developer. If you don't know them well. You may feel troublesome. About Informix, you only need to fill in the form in ONMONITOR. In this point, Informix is Japan car. Oracle is big complicate car. To develope a embedded database solution, Informix is good choice. 2. For the developer, Oracle is easier since they have enough SQL function. If you have worked with Informix. You may have headache with Date datatype operation. It needs special program skill to perform simple operation like add. Also Informix provide stored procedure, not stored function. In this point Oracle is suitable for developer. 3. Answer the question heavier machine. Yes, Oracle is 'heavier machine' because of its architecture. (one instance to one database). For SQL/Server,Sybase, Informix and DB2, they use one instance to many database). Also Oracle has a lot of checking for each SQL statement. For example privilege check is big overhead. Oracle has around 100 system privillege. Informix has 3 major system privilege. SQL/Server has less than 10 system privilege. In the old days, CPU and memory are very expensive. For management, they prefer to buy faster database to save money for hardware. Now, hardware is cheap and IT labor is expensive. People are willing to spend money on hardware to trade the easy of developer. So no many sales tells you "I am top one on TDC benchmark". So different solution choose different database. Database vendors can survive on market should have their own selling points. Certainly no all DBA superstitue on BRAND NAME. Hope it is helpful. In article <7f19op$oes$1@news.kren.nm.kr>, "blacklungs" <please@refertothep.ost> wrote: > > No, > > Consider Informix an electronic shifting versus Oracle a manual clutch. > > > > Informix is a sports car that if not tuned properly, you crash and burn. > > Oracle? Its harder to set up initially, but less functions to tune. > > > > Informix may lack some of the "front end" tools, that Oracle OEMs, but > > with Java, all you need is a good JDBC and you can use any java based > tool. > > (Of course how well Oracle/Sybase/Informix follow the JDBC interface, > > your milage will vary.) > > Oops, sorry there could be so many misinterpretations to my original > automobile analogy. > Must have been a late and tired night. > Let me first say a few things: > 1. I tend to speak with an app-developer perspective, since I design and > implement applications more than I manage databases (although you can't > really separate them...besides people in this group seem to be way above me > when coming to know individual dbms's) > 2. I am really not biased towards any particular vendor since I get thrown > into projects left and right and switch db's as I move from project to > project. That being said, in this kind of work scenario sometimes > predefined functions and tools can be a plus when you need to get the job > done quick (and dirty) and the system performance/load is less of an issue. > However, had I more time to delve deeper into the innards of the db I > wouldn't hesitate. > 3. You guys probably know more about databases in general than I do. > 4. I'm in Korea, and the work environment, mentality, etc is slightly > different from other places (as are any different locations) > > As for the car analogy, what I meant to say was that when I drop down my > briefcase, take my jacket off and sit in front of a workstation/terminal and > get to work with limited db access rights, Oracle seems to be slightly more > straighforward and has lesser unknowns and variables out of my control. > Perhaps my background is tainted because of more exposure to Oracle, but > please correct me if I am wrong. Play with the optimizer badly, though, you > can send Oracle into a rabid fit. > > This is really a question: Is Oracle a "heavier" engine? Meaning it takes > more hardware to do the same stuff? I believe it takes more memory per > user, but other things I am not sure. I have limited comparison data here > in Korea because more than half the db's I've worked with is Oracle, and > they all seem to have been bigger machines that those running Informix, > Sybase, Unify, etc. > > Just for fluff: In Korea it seems like it's easier for me to ask the people > upstairs: > "The DB is slow, so buy me more memory and cpu." > than > "The DB is slow, so give me more time to look at it." > This is the most maddening part, I guess. > > Jay. > > -- All post are personal idea only :-} -----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==---------- http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own