Re: Database port
Henry Keultjes wrote:
>
> MD-Linux proposes to be an effective alternative solution for MS-Windows
> "fronted" enterprise applications, such as Financials that one might
> find in a typical business, or a patient system that one finds in a
> typical doctor's office, to name just two of the thousands of different
> types of organizations that are or will be looking for Linux solutions.
>
This sounds very good.
> To provide these solutions expeditiously, MD-Linux Scientific has
> proposed to totally integrate an existing multi-dimensional (MD)
> relational database with Linux so that Linux and the database are in
> essence one, MD-Linux. That way thousands of existing enterprise MD
> applications, after "rejuvenation" and recompilation, will run as Linux
> applications in LinuxWindows or in a LinuxBrowser. Linux applications
> will similarly be "rejuvenated" and recompiled so that they will use
> the MD database file system.
>
Umm, huh? You want linux, but now you need to "integrate" a DB into
it. Now it doesn't use a standard linux file system? The current front
end is on win32? Are you going to port your code to linux native or use
some form of emulation?
> The MD-Linux objective is simplicity through total integration,
> something that I have termed LeanIT. In this LeanIT environment all
> applications will meet the objective of using a database; having a piece
> of information in the database once where it can be shared by all
> applications and where all applications can be accessed via a common
> tool without using ODBC or middleware tools like that.
Just what kind of applications are you talking about?
>
> We realize that this approach does not appeal to the typical big IT shop
> with lots of IT staff and using this kind of solution may not appeal to
> any of you Linux geeks reading this. That's fine. Please realize that
> our target market is the smaller organization in which the regular staff
> wants to be in control of the applications. That's why I used a
> doctor's office as one of the examples. A typical doctor's office does
> not have an IT staff. What they have is a need for applications.
> Therefore I hope that you will not let your preference as a Linux geek
> stand in the way of helping to devise a solution that can take business
> away from BG3.
I realize that most people only want a computer to do work.
> You must realize also that mine is not a grudge thing against BG3 at
> all. It is a mater of wits. A matter of building a mousetrap that
> users will like better than the MS mousetrap. Therefore, please
> understand that it does not matter at all whether or not you like this
> mousetrap. What matters is that you can help build this better
> mousetrap that potential users will like and therefore will help grow
> the Linux market.
>
I'm not going to be using it, but I'd want it to be administratable
easily and with automation. That means all administration is NOT done
with the GUI, there are commands that are equal if not better than the
graphical administration solution. And don't make your own scheduler,
use the standard cron service. If you can edit the automation from a
graphical program all the better. If you are going to use linux, or
unix for the base of your system, please continue with it's concepts.
> To signify that I see this as an addition to Debian, MD-Linux would
> become a sub-debian distro - debian-powerpc-md@lists.debian.org.
> MD-Linux would be integrated with only one distro, the Debian PowerPC
> distro.
I have no say, but this probably won't happen. Especially with a
company that sells proprietary software.
Look at it this way. Debian won't be responsible for supporting your
system, and probably won't distribute it either. MD-linux would
probably be best suited as an add-on for debian. I'll explain lower.
> Since I have written an article "Perfect Pair - PowerPC and
> Linux" for an upcoming issue of Linux Journal, it probably will not
> surprise you that MD-Linux will not be offered on Intel.
Sounds like you won't be using any existing hardware in the doctor's
office. If anything, they'd have x86 machines in their office already.
Probably selling the hardware too, huh?
> MD-Linux would
> stay in sync with DebianPPC except that as an application server
> platform, it could do so at a relaxed pace.
>
> Some other issues:
>
> 1. This project is in the embryonic stage. Not much has been nailed
> down yet, including the use of Debian, so make your pitch.
>
I think we would like to see debian used in Doctor's offices all over
the place, but I think it will be you that will be thankful for choosing
debian as your distribution.
> 2. Our expertise is MD databases, we need DebianPPC help.
>
When you seek help, please ask specific questions, and not broad "why
can't I login" type questions. That will give you a better response.
> 4. Within the MD-Linux source code, the result of taking Linux "wheat"
> and MD "water" and "baking" that into "bread", the proprietary MD source
> will be neither recognizable nor usable.
>
> 5. MD-Linux will be an Open Source product under the same license as
> Debian.
>
> 7. MD-Linux Scientific is envisioned as a non-profit that will have
> education and research as its major objective and its "distribution"
> will be geared toward educational institutions giving them the source
> code that will enable them to teach the principle of multi-dimensional
> databases.
What part? You said above that it is proprietary and no source code
would be available and unusable if viewed.
>
> 8. I am a systems architect, an interface designer/ergonomist. I am
> not a programmer.
>
> Henry Keultjes
> MD-Linux Scientific
> Mansfield Ohio
> Voice 419-525-1111
>
Your system should be an addon package set, just like kde or gnome or
most any large project.
You can take an existing window manager and modify it so that it shows
your logo in the titlebar of each window, or somesuch. You would have
to release any changes you have made to the code, but not the logo or
explicit text... read the license. With the window manager in place,
you will be able to give a much more "integrated" look and feel.
Your packages should be compiled to the new stable versions within 6
months to a year, because after that most support will be forgotten, or
unavailable.
md-linux doesn't describe your goal very well, as far as I can see.
Maybe a new name should be chosen.
NOTE: I am not part of the debian team.
Mike Fedyk
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