Spatial DB2 vs Oracle

Hi folks,

Just a few questions if I may (as I have already checked OTN and the archives for this news group).

DB2 vs Oracle:
What independent technical papers are available that show the comparison of features and functions between DB2 and Oracle 9.2.0 with respect to Spatial extensions? An independent evaluation would be ideal, but even pointers to less impartial web sites would give me a start.

Spatial DB:
Can one really say that there is such thing as spatial database? That is, how could one respond to the statement "There is no such thing as a spatial database" when it's posed?

Optimistic Locking:
What native mechanisms in Oracle support "optimistic locking?" Workspace Manager has been the only thing that I have found that supports this notion, is that it, or did I miss an obvious alternative?

Maia Project:
Are there any case studies like the Maia Project (as found on OTN) that show the (successful) use of 3rd-party tools (e.g., ESRI, Intergraph) to include the use of Oracle's Spatial (topological) features and any optimistic locking features?

Sense Oracle makes a big deal out of Spatial being part of the database kernel, I submit these questions in hopes of them being on topic.

Have a great day,
mikejay Received on Wed Aug 06 2003 - 07:58:48 CDT