Re: The irony of IBM's Lack of Information Management Marketing...
A largely opinion-driven thread comparing Informix with MySQL, DB2, Oracle and Sybase, in which a long-time user praises Informix SE's stability but complains he had spent over a week on the phone with IBM just trying to buy an upgrade, wishing IBM had a 'Buy it now' button. Responses offered an IBM worldwide Informix sales contact name and pointed out that the IDS product page does have an edition chooser with a 'Buy Online' link. However, the poster noted that this only covers IDS, not SE or RDS, and no answer was given on how to purchase those; a partner also reported the 'Find a Business Partner' link was broken.
Auto-generated by DrWatson from the posts below — may be imperfect; read the full thread.
Adam Tauno Williams wrote: > Are you serious?! Anyone who compares MySQL to DB2/Oracle/Informix > either doesn't know what they are talking about, thinks a PHP script is > a 'real application', or has simply licked too many mushrooms. The > reasons to use DB2/Oracle/Informix over something like MySQL would be > *WAY* too long to type (data integrity being the first one). That's not really a fair assesment. MySQL is becoming a very mature product. I'm actually considering using version 5's clustering on a new project. >>Why would management pay for Informix instead of something else? > > > Because you already have it; management thinks in terms of risk. > Stinking with what you've got is low risk. Management will typically pay for what they are told they need. As a professional it is your job to choose the right solution for the job at hand. I started with Informix many years ago because of RDS. The query by example was the best tool for our job. The database engine chosen was SE. It has been rock solid for many years. The current system was booted up in 2001 and the computer running it has been rebooted twice because of power outages. That says a lot about the stability of SE. My biggest problem with Informix is IBM. I've been trying for over a week to do something as simple as buying an updated version. I've been on the phone every day with people from IBM and being told "Someone who can help you will call you right back". I've worked with many databases over the last 20 years. So far the most reliable solid databases have been Informix SE and Sybase SQL Anywhere (Sybase ASE totally sucks). I've had issues with MySQL handling large loads but by its open source nature there is considerable more support than the others. I've used DB2 and Oracle and don't put them in the same classification Informix. Both require more administrative costs and I've experienced data loss with both. I actually replaced a very expensive Sun server running Oracle that had crashed with a low end PC running SQL Anywhere and had better performance. Informix is still my favorite database. I just whish IBM had a "Buy it now" button on their website.
Contact Danilo Novelli Wordwide Informix Sales danilo@us.ibm.com and tell him David Williams sent you!
On Thu, 12 Jan 2006 15:21:59 -0800, BigVinnie <BigVinnieRocks@gwhizmail.com> wrote: > >I've used DB2 and Oracle and don't put them in the same classification >Informix. Both require more administrative costs and I've experienced >data loss with both. I actually replaced a very expensive Sun server >running Oracle that had crashed with a low end PC running SQL Anywhere >and had better performance. > >Informix is still my favorite database. I just whish IBM had a "Buy it >now" button on their website. I heard that it's supported in the next version of Websphere, but you'll have to wait for the Informix-compatible port . . .8-) JWC
BigVinnie wrote: > > MySQL is becoming a very mature product. I'm actually considering using > version 5's clustering on a new project. > Hmm - on reflection, I'm sorry Sir, but this is a private beach. (Clustering with MySQL is like wearing a thong on Brighton Beach. Just one of those things sane people don't do)
>From the IDS home page: http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ids/ Select Which Edition is right for you? And you will get a page that explains the different editions. Choose the one you want and clike the Buy Online link! Or did you mean another Informix? Christine
Elan Le Blanc wrote: >>From the IDS home page: > http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ids/ > > Select Which Edition is right for you? > > And you will get a page that explains the different editions. Choose > the one you want and clike the Buy Online link! > > Or did you mean another Informix? What about RDS and SE? IDS is not the only informix product.
BigVinnie wrote: > Elan Le Blanc wrote: > >>> From the IDS home page: >> >> http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ids/ >> >> Select Which Edition is right for you? >> >> And you will get a page that explains the different editions. Choose >> the one you want and clike the Buy Online link! >> >> Or did you mean another Informix? > > > What about RDS and SE? > > IDS is not the only informix product. Is not or was not? ;-) -- Daniel A. Morgan http://www.psoug.org damorgan@x.washington.edu (replace x with u to respond)
"Elan Le Blanc" <christine.normile@us.ibm.com> wrote in message news:1137196731.741453.104240@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > >From the IDS home page: > http://www-306.ibm.com/software/data/informix/ids/ > > Select Which Edition is right for you? > > And you will get a page that explains the different editions. Choose > the one you want and clike the Buy Online link! > > Or did you mean another Informix? > > Christine Point taken - that looks straightforward. (As a Business Partner selling Informix though, I'm disappointed to see that the "Find a Business" Partner link is broken. Again).