Which DB Platform to use??

[Pandyon]

Okay,

I've been out of the DB design game for about a year and a half. Previously, I did some intermediate design in Microsoft Access 2003, some good VB scripting with that, and a lot of ASP scripting (the DBs run off websites for the most part).

I'm in the pre-design phases of a new application that I want to create and market to individuals as a standalone application. I need to know if I should start from scratch and learn a new system (like Filemaker or something else) to create my new application.

Criteria:

1. Must work on both Windows and Mac
2. Basic DB structure and information. Nothing too fancy.
3. Provided it meets criteria #1, it could get more advanced, syncing contacts in Outlook, exporting it's information into Word and Excel documents, and even web access to the DB.

I have no problem starting from scratch, but if I can build on my existing Access/VB knowledge, that will give me a short head start. I just don't want to get 80% done and discover that Access/VB isn't going to get the last 20% done.

Taking suggestions on developer programs that I could use to acheive this.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[mrdenny]

If it's going to work on Windows and Mac it's going to need to be web based. There aren't any client side databases that work on both platforms.

I wouldn't took to file maker as it's being discontinued.
Access will also be discontinued shortly. MSDE is the Microsoft replacement. MSDE is basically a limited use version of SQL Server that is free to download and distribute to customers.

If you wanted it to be able to sync with Outlook, and export to Work and Excel, you'd need to biuld that into the front end, or you could use DTS package to export on a schedule.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

(My very old site)

 

[harebrain]

There aren't any client side databases that work on both platforms.

Oracle does.
4th Dimension does.

Perhaps you should reconsider your tag line.

 

[willir]

...and what about
syncing contacts in Outlook, exporting it's information into Word and Excel documents
?

 

[harebrain]

Why don't we look at the entire statement:

3. Provided it meets criteria #1, it could get more advanced, syncing contacts in Outlook, exporting it's information into Word and Excel documents, and even web access to the DB.

Seems to me that's an optional requirement. On top of that, those are nothing but programming problems.

To hack mrdenny's saw, Anything is possible. All it takes is a little work.

 

[JarlH]

Mimer SQL runs on both Windows and Mac, and supports ODBC/ADO/JDBC/Embedded SQL etc.

 

[mrdenny]

Oracle isn't a client side database. It's a client server database. I'm not farmiller with 4th dimention.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

(My very old site)

 

[harebrain]

From the other responses and your own admission, you weren't exactly qualified to make this statement, were you?

There aren't any client side databases that work on both platforms.

And there IS a client (personal) edition of Oracle.

 

[terosoft]

You can also look at FirebirdSQL, it runs on several platforms, has an embedded (client side) version and it's Open Source.

http://www.firebirdsql.org/

Gerardo Czajkowski

 

[harebrain]

While we're at it, let's not forget Flash Filer, formerly from TurboPower.

 

[flyover789]

@mrdenny

who told you, that Access will be discontd shortly?
Any further information, source links?

Rgds,
fly

[blue]Typos, that don't affect the functionality of code, will not be corrected.[/blue]

Martin Serra Jr.

http://www.mserrasystems.com

[blue]Shared Database_Systems and _Applications across all Business_Areas[/blue]

 

[Pandyon]

Thanks for all the suggestions...I guess I'm even a bit more confused than before.

However, the first response had the easiest solution for me: Web-Based.

Since my prior experience is mostly Access Databases running off IIS web servers with ASP coding, this would definitely make the most sense. And this way, it doesn't matter what platform they're running off. The other big advantage to this, is that I can create the program to allow multiple levels of access, so anyone with a userid/password can access the program from any internet connection. On a more professional level for my program, this would be an excellent feature. IN fact, it was a higher level form of the program that I was considering.

Of course the problem then is that the program can only be accessed while connected to the Internet. Again, with the more professional level people who would use this program, that is not a problem, as they tend to be connected to high-speed internet on wireless connections just about 24/7. It's the rest of the possible users (a much larger number) who are still on dial up, and things like high speed internet and wireless are not yet readily available or financially feasible for them.

The other "fear" question is that people are going to be afraid that their information isn't safe. I'm not really sure how to respond to that.

And now there's all these questions about programs being discontinued. I had heard so many good things about Filemaker, but if it's going to be discontinued, I don't want to use it. It also seems to me that web-based applications are growing in popularity, and, therefore, so will the functionality of coding languages which are used to create these programs (like ASP).

Thanks very much for all your help.

Michael

 

[sillysod]

access isnt being discontinued.

The Jet database engine is being replaced by MSDE / SQL Express whatever its going to be called

Jet is just the part of access that manages the data, access is much more than just a database, in fact its the front end capabilities of access that make is so powerful as a RAD tool.

MS Office is availiable for the mac isnt it? or am i thinking of linux

And one more point, could you put the database file through ODBC ? in which case you wouldnt need to have a database application that was platform specific?