Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 10:36:34 -0800 (PST) From: Dror Matalon <dror@dnai.com> To: Tim Tsai <tim@futuresouth.com> Cc: isp@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: ISP Billing Software Message-ID: <Pine.NEB.3.93.970309102329.19604B-100000@mars.dnai.com> In-Reply-To: <199703090908.DAA00635@shell.futuresouth.com>
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On Sun, 9 Mar 1997, Tim Tsai wrote: > > > Check out http://www.boardtown.com > > > > Nope, this one won't do either. Here's what they say on their web site. > > > > The power of Microsoft SQL Server as your backend means that > > no matter how many customers or staff users you have, your > > performance will be top notch. Plus, you won't have to deal with > > the aggravation of data corruption that Access/.DBF based billing > > packages WILL have. Microsoft SQL Server can't be beat for security, > > reliablity, and performance on the Windows platform. Using Microsoft > > IIS, you can intergrate your Platypus data with interactive web > > pages as well. > > > > Not the right solution for FreeBSD shops. The solution I'd like to see > > would include the following components. > > We're a FreeBSD shop but we're running Platypus. Actually, most ISP's > I know of have a combination of Windows 95/NT, Macintosh, and Unix > machines. We already have an NT machine and most of our staff run > Windows 95 so Platypus fits us well (OK, the fact that I know the > developers help too). I certainly didn't plan on starting a religious war. When I say that we're a FreeBSD shop I mean that given a chance we'll run anything on FreeBSD rather than Sun, NT or anything else. That said we do have a Sparc server that we use for historical reasons, and I believe in using in using the right tool for the job. > > > 1. Server runs of Freebsd and other flavors of Unix. > > 2. Use Postgres95 as the database. It works well and it's free. The FreeBSD > > or databases. > > 3. Use CGI and PERL for the development language. > > 4. Use web browsers for front end. > > This sounds good in theory but I think the resulting product will not > be very useful. Commercial software today demand a higher level of > sophistication than what you have outlined can provide in any kind of > reasonable effort. Does Postgres95 have a graphical administration tool? No, Postgres does not have a graphical administration tool. Freebsd doesn't either. They're very similar in that respect. > Does it come with a Windows client to make SQL queries? Can I look at > the database with Access and generate custom reports using point and click? > Perhaps there is an ODBC driver for Postgres95/FreeBSD, but is it free? That's where items 3, and 4 come into place. You use your web browser as your front end. Every platform that I know off has a browser, so this setup actually has more flexibility than the one you described. > How do you propose to automatically handle credit card transactions? Is > this software free? Do you balance your checkbook with Postgres95 and > FreeBSD? OK, maybe you do, but I'd rather stick with MS Money. As much Wait. We're talking billing, not accounting. For accounting we use QuickBooks of a windows 95 machine. Different animal. > as I like Unix/FreeBSD I don't try to solve all my problems with it. > Heck, in my alternate life I write embedded software for GPS navigation > and FreeBSD would not be the right tool for this job. > > Also, I think it's a moot point to argue that FreeBSD/Postgres is > free. Platypus costs something like $2500 for unlimited users. Add in > the cost for an NT machine + SQL server it's still less expensive than > any UNIX ISP Billing package that I know of. > > > We've done parts of this in house, but we'd rather focus on being an > > ISP than developing billing packages. > > I agree with you completely and that's why I had no trouble putting > together an NT machine to run SQL Server and Platypus. It solves my > problems TODAY. That's probably the right solution for you. I suspect that it wouldn't work for us. Different ISPs have different needs. I outlined my wish list. I was suggesting a solution for what I was thinking of as a "FreeBSD shop," a place that would rather use FreeBSD, perl and unix scripts to have the flexibility and source code to all the different components. Obviously there are ISPs that feel more comfortable with NT, SQL server and "commercial" software, they should Platypus or something like it. Dror Matalon Voice: 510 649-6110 Direct Network Access Fax: 510 649-7130 2039 Shattuck Avenue Modem: 510 649-6116 Berkeley, CA 94704 Email: dror@dnai.com
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