On Sunday, 97/03/02, Andrew Grillet wrote to David Noon about "Db2/2"
as follows:

AG> I think it was in the Context of DB/2 vs Oracle, but I forgot.
AG> I am like4ly to be in a position where I could port our
AG> single-user dBase 4/5 based system to client/server on DB2 or
AG> Oracle.
AG> 
AG> I am seeking background data on this.

Hi Andrew,

I'll try to give you as much help with DB2/2 as I can. My current
client uses it extensively, so I am right up to speed on it at the
moment.

I have yet to get my hands on Oracle.

AG> Nope - never seen it. When I used mainframes it was either CDC
AG> under  one or other of their systems or ICL under maximop, George2
AG> or George3.

Not the world's first choices in database engines there. In fact, I
never saw a DBMS on CDC kit running either KRONOS or NOS.

ICL ... zig zig zig zig zig ... [as Tommy Cooper used to say].

AG>  DN> The DBMS is fairly easy to install, 
AG> 
AG> I did this with a demo system, but I could not find out how to
AG> draw text-mode screens for data capture (order entry etc). And I
AG> could not understand a lot of the DOCs despite ten years Database
AG> experience due to IBM Speak.

There is no screen drawing facility. That is not a rightful component
of a DBMS. Only kiddy toys like FoxPro offer such things, to make up
for the DBMS features they lack, such as referential integrity,
deadlock resolution, etc.

These latter features are essential in a multi-user environment.

AG> I really need Text mode data entry screens on DOS machines as
AG> clients.  I can't face retraining staff on new screen formats just
AG> now.

DOS .... bleah! You will be faced with ODBC and the limitations
imposed by that interface. Can you not use OS/2 full-screen sessions
instead? Use TSHELL and just tell 'em it's DOS.

You can knock up a quick text-mode system in REXX, using a VIO
extension DLL such as RXWINDOW that comes with REXXLIB.

Alternatively, you might try an OS/2-hosted xBASE product like OnCmd,
but I think that might be PM and not support DOS clients. I'm not sure
how well xBASE products handle deadlocks, etc.

Regards

Dave


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