Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop From: sysop@stech.UUCP (Jan Harrington) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: Databases for the Mac Message-ID: <597@stech.UUCP> Date: 14 Jun 88 15:27:18 GMT References: Organization: Scholastech, Inc., Waltham, Mass. Lines: 48 in article , rh1m+@andrew.cmu.edu (Rudi Jay Halbright) says: > > > I'm looking for a powerful, programmable, relational Database system for the > > Mac. It should be comparable to Dbase III+ on the IBM PC in terms of > flexability and power. > Double Helix II and 4th Dimension look like good options, but FoxBase+/Mac is > tempting as it > offers compatibility with Dbase on the PC. The completed database will be > distributed (for free) to the > Psychology community so it is important that whatever we use can be used > without the database > system. > You've asked some major questions here. What you appear to be looking for is a "run-time" version. Foxbase+/Mac, Double Helix II, and 4th Dimension all have run-time versions (i.e., they allow applications to be run w/o the full DBMS). Any of these three are powerful enough to do virtually whatever you need. 4th Dimension and Foxbase+/Mac sell individual copies of their run-time version. To get the DH II run-time version, you become a DH II developer. You get unlimited run-time distribution rights for the first three months; then you pay a license fee. (The developer status also gets you other benefits.) If you need many, many copies of the run-time version, the DH II licensing may be more cost effective. If you need only a few copies, look at the other two, since they price theirs by the copy. As for other issues, DH II is object oriented (programming through icons, not a language); 4D is powerful but complex; Foxbase is dBase compatible. It all depends on what features are important. Each of these three is available in a demo version. (DH II demo comes with my $24.95 book - hint, hint, hint). My suggestion would be to get the demo versions and try them out before you decide. Jan Harrington, sysop Scholastech Telecommunications UUCP: ihnp4!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop or allegra!stech!sysop BITNET: JHARRY@BENTLEY ******************************************************************************** Miscellaneous profundity: "No matter where you go, there you are." Buckaroo Banzai ********************************************************************************