Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!prls!pyramid!ctnews!mitisft!jay
From: jay@mitisft.Convergent.COM (Jay O'Conor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: HC as a front end to mac database
Message-ID: <1426@mitisft.Convergent.COM>
Date: 22 Mar 90 21:29:05 GMT
References: <4366@hub.UUCP> <1990Mar20.202836.19950@csuchico.edu>
Reply-To: jay@mitisft.UUCP (Jay O'Conor)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Unisys Network Computing Group, San Jose
Lines: 49

In article <1990Mar20.202836.19950@csuchico.edu> robin@cscihp.UUCP (Robin Goldstone) writes:
>Yes, ORACLE has a HyperCard front end, but I would recommend against
>ORACLE if you have other options.  I have spent the last year attempting
>to develop an ORACLE/Hypercard application.  It has been frustrating.
>ORACLE may be an industry leader, but their Mac version is ill-conceived
>and poorly documented.  Specifically, the SQL*Plus interface, which is
>used for producing reports from the database, does not work properly.  At
>least I had no success with it.  I attempted to get support from Oracle
>on this but was turned away, since I had not purchased "Software Support".
>A reasonable request by Oracle, you may think... In general I agree that
>it is fair for a company to charge some nominal support fee, but Oracle
>wants $300 A YEAR for a product that I bought for $99.  This is totally
>outrageous in my (humble) opinion.  
>
>I will stop my public ranting now, though I could continue to list
>the faults with Oracle for the Macintosh.  If anyone wants more info
>I will be happy to continue my ranting via private e-mail. 
>
>I hope this info spares others from the frustration and lost time I
>spent trying to use Oracle for the Mac.
>
>Robin Goldstone,  CSU, Chico Computer Center
>robin@csuchico.edu


While I don't have any experience with Oracle on the Macintosh, I have
used it on other platforms.  I have no complaints with Oracle, it is a
terrific Database Engine.
I do take exception to the poster's complaint about the cost of support.
Just because you got the program for a good price does that mean that you're
entitled to cheap support?  I thing you vastly underestimate the cost of
software support.  $300 a year for support for a major application such
as Oracle is quite a bargain.  You state that it is fair for a company to 
charge a nominal support fee -- believe me, $300 IS nominal.  The cost of
support is one of the biggest problems this industry has.  Why do you think
so many companies don't offer direct support?  Instead, they expect their
dealers to offer support.  How is a dealer supposed to offer support?
They certainly don't make enough money from hardware/software sales, and
the public obviously isn't willing to pay the true cost of support.
While I'm flaming here, I'd like to here what this poster thinks is a
reasonable cost for support and to back that up with some monetary
data (how much does support cost Oracle?).
If anyone is considering _serious_ use of Oracle, I don't see why they
wouldn't spend the $300 for support.  That would certainly spare them
the frustration of trying to master a complex product.

<down from my soapbox>

Jay O'Conor