Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!inmet!mazur
From: mazur@inmet.inmet.com
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Novice Needs Advice
Message-ID: <19500001@inmet>
Date: 9 Apr 90 14:21:00 GMT
Lines: 30
Nf-ID: #N:inmet:19500001:000:1272
Nf-From: inmet.inmet.com!mazur    Apr  9 10:21:00 1990


Please accept my apologies if this is akin to the Mrs. Fields postings
in rec.cooking, but I'm interested in free advice...

I'm at the preliminary design stage of a customized inventory program for
a caterer I do work for.  I'm a bit overwhelmed about all the choices I
seem to have and am trying to narrow things down a bit.  The program as
I visualize it will be primarily search and query by the user and I want
it to be idiot-proof - these are computer-illiterate users.  I hope to
make it look like an ATM (i.e., no mice, nothing fancy, just menu-driven
screens with on-line help).

I haven't ruled out the idea of selling it to other caterers so I'd rather
have that option (and not have to have them buy a dBASE III, etc.).  So
my questions:

    -  Is there any reason to consider a MAC if I don't want a mouse?  

    -  Given my simple database scheme (screens, search & query), what
       database program would you recommend?  (my friend thinks we could
       do it in C, but I'd think that's a bit like re-inventing the
       wheel).

    -  Any other comments, suggestions?  This is something I'm doing in
       my spare time, not for "real work", but I'd like to do it right
       the first time.

Thanks in advance,
Beth Mazur
mazur@inmet.inmet.com