[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference ulysse::rdb_vms_competition

Title:DEC Rdb against the World
Moderator:HERON::GODFRIND
Created:Fri Jun 12 1987
Last Modified:Thu Feb 23 1995
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1348
Total number of notes:5438

1135.0. "need info on dataflex" by KOZY::STEWART () Fri Apr 10 1992 17:59

          <<< DATABS::$255$DUA25:[NOTES$LIBRARY]IM_PARTNERS.NOTE;1 >>>
                                -< IM Partners >-
================================================================================
Note 363.0                    Need info on Dataflex                   No replies
KOZY::STEWART                                        12 lines  10-APR-1992 09:57
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I am in need of information on Dataflex database and product set for a
    local customer.  They are looking for a white paper comparing RDB to
    Dataflex.  Everybody wants white papers.  They must think that we are a
    publisher and not a Hardware opps thats software company. 
    
    Any info or pointers to Dataflex is appreciated.
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    John
    
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1135.1You want what?!TRCOA::MCMULLENKen McMullenMon Apr 13 1992 15:3810
    John,
    
    Get a life, or some customers with some real database products. At the
    next IM partners meeting we will have to give you some sort of award
    for wanting information on database products that must be only sold in
    the Detroit area.
    
    good luck buddy,
    
    kbm
1135.2Apples and brocolli?? :)COOKIE::OAKEYPicard/Riker &#039;92Tue Apr 14 1992 01:3532
�                      <<< Note 1135.0 by KOZY::STEWART >>>
�

John,

Is DataFlex a PC-based database product?  (I wondered since you also had 
asked about FoxPro.)

Comparing any PC-based db product and Rdb is going to be very difficult... 
(imho).

The PC-based products tend to be very strongly oriented toward the user 
interface.  Many of them share the same file form (such as either Paradox 
or Dbase).  Engine features tend to be, particularily in the earlier 
versions, not the focal point of the product (ie, data integrity, recovery, 
constraints, etc. just weren't there)  Some of the multi-user engines are
beginning to offer isolation levels and their database engines are starting
to work within the ACID definitions, but early versions didn't really do
this.  Their strengths tend to lean more towards the UI, QBE (query by
example), QBF (query by form), easy, fast, slick reports.  Many of them are
just now starting to offer SQL as an optional UI. 

Rdb on the other hand, focuses very strongly on the engine.  If you want 
slick UIs, you need to look at other products since Rdb (by itself) just 
don't have one (I don't know about you but I sure wouldn't consider SQL a 
slick UI :).    But, if you want a robust, good performer with excellent 
data integrity features and slick data management (horizontal partitioning, 
clustering of data and indexes, etc), Rdb does that very well.

We might be able to offer a better suggestion and/or comparison if you 
could provide some idea of the environment that these products will be used 
it... on PCs?  (maybe SQL Services can be part of the solution)  
1135.3Dataflex for portable applicationsSMEGIT::MARTINThu Apr 16 1992 23:2612
    See notes 831.* in RANGER::IMBPC-92.  I will also echo the thinking in -.1
    here.  One of the features for software developers in Dataflex is that
    they operate on 50 different platforms.  Porting applications is 
    straightforward for the developers to satisfy many customers.  
    
    There is an article also in the mid-April issue of PC Magazine
    comparing database software for PCs, and Dataflex is one.  Many small
    to medium sized companies are developing data base applications from this
    end of the technology spectrum as are F1000 departments.  Millions of
    users and developers exist in this sphere.
    
    Good luck.