VENDORS: Please help fill in the blanks in this table or report any errors to .

Definitions

1. Standalone refers to the situation when users are usually disconnected each running with their own copy of the server. Periodically they connect via the Remote feature to resynchronise.
2. Per Seat refers to the normal situation when many computers are accessing the same database running on a server on a LAN.
3. Per Concurrent User allows an unlimited number of potential computers to access the database, but only a limited number of them can be actively logged onto the database at any one time.

Notes

• In most cases the prices shown are for the Windows version. Seats typically come in bundles of 5, 10 or 20. The per seat prices are calculated on the size of the smallest bundle. Seat prices usually decline with volume. Prices are approximate street prices in US dollars.
• Some vendors flatly refused to give me pricing information (marked secret), especially for high end products. Most simply ignored my requests for information. I gather either the prices are negotiated, or they are afraid of having out of date prices on the web. Perhaps they are just embarrassed by their high prices. This is one heck of a way to treat someone with money burning a hole in his pocket! Frustrating!
• Codebase is not an SQL server, but an xBase server. It offers Java support through a proprietary API, not JDBC. The advantage of that is CodeBase’s small footprint — about 50K.
• Hypersonic includes a front end that generates SQL queries from a simpler syntax.
• Inprise’s Local Interbase is single user, though it lets you run several programs at once. Delphi Client Server package contains Interbase servers for NT and Windows 95, as well as some native code links to its Delphi product that work faster than the ODBC interface. Presumably Inprise’s JBuilder product will be compatible with it.
• JustLogic is most unusual. It not only charges nothing per seat, but charges no royalties either. You can distribute it freely with any code you write.
• Microsoft Access is an ultra lightweight slightly incompatible SQL. It does not even use a server. Each client updates the database independently using ordinary file locking.
• mySQL from Sweden, now owned by Sun, is unusual in that they give you source. Under some circumstances you must pay a licensing fee. MySQL is very popular because it is both powerful and usually free. The drawbacks to consider include:
  • absence of triggers, stored procedures and views. Some people used to write almost a complete application in plsql/tsql inside the database. With multi-tier architecture this code becomes less and less important for business applications. Still, triggers and stored procedures are useful for ensuring data integrity. All of this can be done at the application level outside the database.
  • less auditing capabilities.
  • less powerful visual admin/monitoring tools, but this segment growing very fast.
  • less granular locking.
  • no clustering.
  • less literature, fewer experts, knowledge base, PR. On the other hand, most amateurs cut their teeth on MySQL.
  • database size limited by OS file size.
• Oracle’s upcoming J/SQL allows you to write triggers in Java. A trigger is code stored as part of the database that automatically gets executed when a row is updated.) Oracle looks to be on the way to more thoroughly integrating Java and SQL than JDBC offers. Oracle has a family of upwardly compatible SQL databases.
• Personal Oracle is single user only.
• PostgresSQL has a more object-oriented interface than most. SQL columns and rows are mapped onto classes and instances. Jeevan too is object oriented.
• Sequiter offers to sell you the source code for $800.00 USD . That is good insurance should the vendor drop the product.
• Solid Software is from Finland. Despite the engine’s low cost, it has referential integrity, stored procedures, database events, but no triggers. I’m told its even faster than SQLAnywhere. You can download a free evaluation copy.
• Sybase’s new jConnect bundle gives you their full SQL Server with unlimited access for a remarkably low price. This gives you Java thin client-only access. Sybase SQLAnywhere has three pricing schemes. You have to pick one scheme and stick with it.
• Now obsolete. Symantec’s Visual Café Database Edition comes with dbAnywhere and Sybase SQLAnywhere for unlimited seats. It also comes with 5-seat dbAnywhere Workgroup drivers for Oracle, Sybase SQL Server, MS SQL Server and ODBC. If you want more seats, you have to go to dbAnywhere Server, which includes your choice of driver for one of Oracle, Sybase SQL Server, MS SQL Server or ODBC. You still have to buy the SQL server and seats. The Symantec documentation on installing dbAnywhere is full of errors. See the essay I wrote on how to install dbAnywhere.
• I am still unclear on whether you need to buy a second copy of Visual Café when you deploy your database using SQLAnywhere. The license agreement contradicts itself.
• It is also possible that the SQLAnywhere/dbAnywhere package that comes with Visual Café Pro is intended to be limited to five seats even if that is not enforced by the software.
• One notable feature of Sybase SQLAnywhere is you get code all platforms on the same CD, and the ability to migrate your database between platforms.
• Thought Inc’s SQL comes with source written in Java ??. It is accessible only via JDBC.
• TimesTen and Hypersonic SQL can be run in memory-resident mode where the entire database is kept in RAM.
• Yard’s Database is free if the total database is under 5 MB. Unfortunately the JDBC interface is incomplete.
• You can download a free report writer for JDBC.