Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ucbvax!decwrl!cookie.dec.com!devine
From: devine@cookie.dec.com (Bob Devine)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: 2 Machine Network for Dbase III+
Message-ID: <8809020032.AA18843@decwrl.dec.com>
Date: 2 Sep 88 01:20:00 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Lines: 22

>> I need to setup a network between two Compaq 286 machines so they
>> can run Dbase III+ applications and share a multi-megabyte data
>> file.  The Dbase manual says it can be networked with PC Net,
>> Token Ring, Novell, and 3Com 3+.  The cheapest setup I can get
>> with one of these four (Token Ring) is about $2500!
 
> I know about other networks, like Western Digital Starlan and
> Netbios software (approx. $900), but don't know if Dbase will run
> on it.  Can the net give me any suggestions?

> Might I suggest you seriously look into using Tandy's VIANET system.
> DBASE III+ and the LAN Pack worked fine when I last looked at it a while
> back with ViaNet. 

  As one of the folks who worked on ViaNET, I can tell you that it
will work.  WD's offering and Tandy's ViaNET will both support dBase.
However there was a change for WD's "ViaNet Professional" which uses
MS/PC-Net protocols (aka NetBIOS).  But this change does not affect
applications that are well-behaved in the use of network file locking 
strategies.  Buy it, it works.  Besides I still own stock in WD...

Bob Devine
DEC Database Systems in Colorado Springs