camping man
Central Fla.
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Thanks for all the replies, I installed OpenOffice, and it seems like it's the ticket. Now I just have to design it correctly the first time out, if that's possible.
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magicbus
LBI, NJ BPK, FL
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With SQL (the database engine behind the tool you are using) you can add columns (which is the technical name for a field or data item) at any time to extend the database's capabilities.
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* This post was
edited 09/02/08 04:20pm by magicbus *
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PopBeavers
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If you are going to write your own application programs to develop an application that meets your requirements, use the DB that you are already familiar with.
If you are going to purchase an application to run your business, buy one of the DBs that the application will work with.
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chuckcjax
Jacksonville, FL
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Oracle is overkill and while the download is free you better read the license document carefully. If you want a back end database then MySql is a very very good option. Open Office is certainly worth a look too, no cost so nothing to lose really.
I support hundreds of Oracle databases across the nation and can tell you that Oracle is far and away the most difficult option to install and configure. Microsofts Sql 2005 is another good option and Sql Express is supposedly free but again I think you better look hard at the license agreement to make sure. SQL Server Management Studio Express is the front-end tool you may want to use with SQL Express. It is also free and not a bad tool at all.
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ThunderingQuiet
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camping man wrote:What would be good for a small business on a single computer. To get Access you need the whole MS Business suite, and I'm sure Oracle is a pretty big suite too. Also, on Oracle you can download it for free, but I'm not sure how functional it is being free.
I'm not sure what type of custom application you are trying to write.
IF you do not need a DB/front end that offers internet connectivity. You might want to consider some of the old 'client/server' technology. PowerBuilder would be one of those applications. It come with it's own DB (SQLAnywhere). SQLAnywhere is a full featured SQL database. Although PowerBuilder has the capability of 'client/server' it does equally well developing single computer applications.
PowerBuilder has been around since the early 90's. Currently Sybase owns PowerBuilder and the current version is 12.0. This is a very mature product.
You can get early versions of PowerBuilder on EBay for about $20/$30 for the complete software development package including SQLAnywhere. PowerBuilder comes complete with it's own database frontend tool. Typically the complete software development package cost up to $3,200 for the current release.
PowerBuilder is a VERY powerful product that has kept me employed for the last 16 years.
BTW - just my .02 cents worth, but PB blows Access out of the water. There is just no comparison of the two.
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Serena
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MS SQL is just as much overkill as Oracle would be. Those are both better-suited for large enterprise database applications.
I'd nix the Excel idea. It handles some data, but it's not a real database. Get the right tool for the job.
If you are comfortable with the SQL language, MySQL is fine.
If not, Access has an additional advantage - a user-friendly interface that protects you from having to really know the guts of the thing at all, and it'll make nice displays, reports, and web pages for you all day long if you want. (You get the scaled down version of MS SQL with it - not that it matters, since you won't be working directly with SQL. The application will do all that for you.) It's become an extremely well-developed product over the years.
The cost of the entire MS Office product wouldn't be as much as just a couple hours of a professional developer's time, so price is a relative thing. MySQL is only free if you are fast. So you have decide whether your time or your money is more valuable to you.
With either MySQL or Access, do a search for existing templates. This kind of application is so common you shouldn't really have to do anything more than grab a free template and mod it to suit if needed. Either product enjoys such wide distribution that there's not much chance you'll be wanting something that hasn't already been done and uploaded somewhere for free.
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strollin
San Martin, CA
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ThunderingQuiet wrote:... PowerBuilder would be one of those applications. ...
Wow, talk about a blast from the past. I worked on the PowerBuilder product releases 4.x and 5.x for PowerSoft/Sybase back in 1996. I didn't realize Sybase was still selling the product or that anyone was still using it!
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ThunderingQuiet
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strollin wrote:ThunderingQuiet wrote:... PowerBuilder would be one of those applications. ...
Wow, talk about a blast from the past. I worked on the PowerBuilder product releases 4.x and 5.x for PowerSoft/Sybase back in 1996. I didn't realize Sybase was still selling the product or that anyone was still using it!
Yea Sybase has never advertised PowerBuilder, don't understand why because it still a good product for what it was designed for. PowerBuilder/Sybase BIG mistake was never to jump on the internet band wagon. And for that it got left behind years agao. Believe it or not there is still a fairly large user base out there. Did you know Disney uses it?
It's a dying product, but the app I'm working on when into production in 1994 - talk about beating a dead horse. But there is so much money invested this app now they say they can't afford to move away from it. But the powers that be have realized then end is nearing and are FINALLY exploring different options.
The company I work for is no small company either - this app is a production product that is making millions of dollars a year for the small group within this company.
BTW PowerBuilder 12.5 'promises' to be 100% compatible with .NET
PowerBuilder seems like it wants to turn itself into just another .NET development tool.
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Mike_socal
San Diego
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I second MySql for open source DB. I think Oracle 10g express is free as well but is capped at something like 2gb limit. Toad for MySql is about the only freeware that's decent for MySql.
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