Approaching Omnis again scares me, too much to learn?

[Doug Easterbrook]

just for the record.

sqllite is NOT a great replacement to the native data file.   This is one web page that gives a brief summary of

the biggest limitation of mysql is ’NO MULTI USER’.    so, if you ever think your app might be used by two people..   that design decision kills your future even thinking about sqllite.    its also not that fast - I spent a month trying to use it locally to save bunches of data for caching — truly ..  very slow for large amounts of data.



https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/sqlite-vs-mysql-vs-postgresql-a-comparison-of-relational-database-management-systems <https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/sqlite-vs-mysql-vs-postgresql-a-comparison-of-relational-database-management-systems>


mysql disrespects data, so thats a non starter -if you want any soert of data integrity.


postgres (I know, broken record) is the right database.   its free, can be locally installed-  there a number of implementations, and it DOES NOT LIMIT YOU in the future.   IT also does not need tuned for most people.   it just works out of the box.



I won’t mention the expensive boys like Oracle.




so, If I were me,  I’d give up the omnis DML database — today.   I’d go postgres.   It does not need big shops (we are  not).  it just works.



I can remember a time where I spent 8 hours every single night for a couple of years fixing omnis databases with data corruption, having to build recovery tools (probably all rooted in Misha’s excellent early data recover tools — forever thankful).  and this needed to be done because of
a) OS issues and byte range locking changing
b) omnis issues with data records less than 5112 bytes that we constantly ran into
c) omnis issues with re-using free space on blocks.
d) the DataBridge being totally unsuitable for performance of any type and a worse management headache than a SQL database

(I”m not pointing the finger at omnis classic with the above —- I suspect the issue was OS related).


but I’m so glad that I do not have to spend  that time any more.   Postgres just saves my data and its all good and trustwrorthy.




in my mind is would be WRONG to advocate to anybody going down a consulting path without the right tools.      Like going to war with plastic bullets.  you’ll just die.






Today’s work needs knowledge of SQL.  Needs knowledge of ACID databases,  needs multi user, needs a good GUI tool, needs web knowledge


and thats OMNIS, POSTGRES, HTML and some knowledge or familiarity of networking, other tools (python), etc.    Otherwise, you will waste your time trying to be a consultant or writing code for people as small applications.  The legal liabilities are just too great if you go down a path that a reasonable person, with knowledge, would not.

As I understand it, even IBM is up the creek for implementing a payroll system in Canada for the public service at a cost of billions that does not work and continues not to work.   Liable…  I imagine so.


Professionals need professional tools.   its that simple.











Doug Easterbrook
Arts Management Systems Ltd.
mailto:doug at artsman.com
http://www.artsman.com
Phone (403) 650-1978




see you at the third annual users conference
https://tickets.proctors.org/TheatreManager/95/online?performance=29086 <https://tickets.proctors.org/TheatreManager/95/online?performance=29086>

> On Jan 4, 2018, at 7:14 AM, Jerry Greenberg <jerry at leadingedgesoftware.net> wrote:
> 
> oh btw. the sqllite database is a great little database which I look at as a great replacement to the datafile.