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Date:      Tue, 27 Jan 1998 01:58:42 -0500
From:      Mark Mayo <mark@vmunix.com>
To:        garyr@wcs.uq.edu.au
Cc:        The Hermit Hacker <scrappy@hub.org>, freebsd-database@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Which SQL Database for Web Applications ?
Message-ID:  <19980127015842.50119@vmunix.com>
In-Reply-To: <199801271555.PAA15787@ajax.wcs.uq.edu.au>; from Gary Roberts on Tue, Jan 27, 1998 at 03:55:02PM %2B0000
References:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.980127010951.252K-100000@thelab.hub.org> <199801271555.PAA15787@ajax.wcs.uq.edu.au>

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On Tue, Jan 27, 1998 at 03:55:02PM +0000, Gary Roberts wrote:
> The Hermit Hacker writes:
> 
> > > How viable would
>     ....
> 
> > 	Depends on what you mean by viable...most of what you describe
> > above is alot of front-end code, and therefore could be done using any of
> > the three...
> 
> Sure, so what do most people use to write front-ends?  I guess I'm looking
> for advice based on (others) experience in that I don't have the time to
> get that experience myself.  I'm willing to pay someone to do the initial
> development and then (probably) take over the ongoing maintenance and
> enhancement of the system myself.  For that reason it would need to be
> something relatively easy for a novice to understand and master.
> 
> Any thoughts anyone??   Thanks.

Well, PHP is really great for embedding SQL queries into web pages -
if that's what you're looking for. PHP works with PostgreSQL,MySQL,
and Solid. (php.iquest.net)

All 3 above support Perl interfaces, and at least Solid has the DBD::
thing for generic database access using Perl. I've only used the
PostgreSQL and MySQL C APIs, and although PostgreSQL is a lot
closer to "the big guns" (i.e. Oracle, Informix, etc.) the MySQL
API is *super* simple and easy to work with.. If you can write a few
lines of C code, you can write a simple MySQL C app. Great for
beginners.  Postgres is quite easy too, FWIW...

I think there's a GUI Tcl front-end available for both PostgreSQL and
mySQL... There are a few details I prefer in the PostgreSQL command
line "interactive query editor" over the mySQL one. Nothing major
though.

I guess when all is said and done mySQL and PostgreSQL are great
packages. Solid is of course a commercial offering so you get more
goodies and better ODBC and JDBC drivers. One thing I've noticed is
that MySQL seems to have a far better ODBC driver, which may be a 
deciding factor depending on if you need WIndows access to the DB..
The JDBC drivers for both Postgres and mySQL seem good, although I
personally haven't tested them too much.

Most of my database stuff is on the web, so Perl and PHP are my
clear favorites for the front-ends.. Aside from a few simple C
programs, I haven't done much with Postgres or mySQL outside of
web applications, so I can't help you much there...

Good luck,
-Mark

P.S. I don't know if it's worth anything to you, but over the last 8 
months or so I've gradually moved away from mySQL towards PostgreSQL,
mostly because of the development model and the simple fact that
it does more! With v6.2.1 it's become very stable for my apps, and
the SQL syntax is really filling in. The only thing I wish for is
a better free ODBC driver... When UNION and subselects are working
with the upcoming v6.3 I'll be seriously considering not renewing our
Oracle license at the lab I admin at school...  :-)

> 
> Cheers,
> -- 
> Gary Roberts  (garyr@wcs.uq.edu.au)

-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mark Mayo		  				mark@vmunix.com       
 RingZero Comp.  	  		    http://www.vmunix.com/mark 

	 finger mark@vmunix.com for my PGP key and GCS code
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Win95/NT - 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to
an an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor,
written by a 2 bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition.  -UGU



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