Paul,

Thanks for you extensive answer.

Marc


>> My client wants me to implement my applications in client/server. Which
>> Database Management should I choose and what are the criteria?
>
>This is a huge question, and I don't think that we can adequately
>address all of the requirements or conditions of selecting a back end,
>but here are the first considerations that come to mind:
>
>1) Are they already using a database back end for something else? If
>so, use that.
>
>2) Are they hooked on the MS product line? If so, SQL Server may be the
>way to go.
>
>3) Do they want better TCP/IP (or other protcol) support than SQL Server
>provides? If so, then Oracle may be the way to go.
>
>4) Have they decided on a machine to run the back end? (this would not
>necessarily be a wise course of action of they haven't first decided the
>back end) Does this machine run NT? No? Then SQL Server is out of the
>question.
>
>5) Will all of the support be out-sourced or will their staff be
>supporting it? Do the support people have experience in a particular
>back end? If so, then that back end may be the way to go.
>
>6) Will they be wanting to do some tricky calculations or other
>operations in scripts? If so, then the scripting languages of the back
>ends has to be considered.
>
>7) How much time (either as a number of hours, or as a percentage) do
>they want to spend on support? The realistic expectation of a number of
>support hours can't come from a vendor -- better to get that from a
>newsgroup or a mailing list.