Re: vendor using oracle 10g database for application, but wants to lock access to data (vendor lock-in)

pheonix1t wrote:
> what are ways to bypass vendor lock-in on oracle 10g?
> one site I work at has been a beta testing site for about 2 years for an
> EMR vendor (electronic medical records).
> Now, the application is almost finished and I asked about odbc or XML
> access to the database and we've been told that's a topic we'll have to
> discuss with sales!
> they're telling us if we want any interface to other systems, they can
> build it for us!
>
> Is there a polite but clear way to state that it's OUR DATA and we want
> full access to it by any method oracle supports?
>
> Has anyone else seen this? I feel like they've used the beta sites and
> now they want to take advantage of them by telling most doctors (who
> have no idea about rdbms issues, data access, etc) that for a price, the
> vendor can make an interface for them!
>
> Oskar
>
> ps. I was thinking of getting around them by resetting the system
> password to the database! It's on win2k server. I guess sqlplus from
> command line should work. I tried 'connect / as sysdba' and 'connect
> system as sysdba'. For system, i get prompted for a password, / gets
> privilage error or something like that. I don't know the password!
> HELP!!
>
> I guess I can put a request on metalink for lost system password, that
> must be pretty common for them (I guess).

Unless you have discussed the HIPAA implications with your law firm or have a signature on a piece of paper from C-level management I'd leave well enough alone.

Five years ago I would have helped you and agreed with you.

With the current legal climate in the US you'd be crazy to do what you are contemplating.

But back to your original point. There is nothing wrong with vendor lockin if you had the presence of mind to have attorneys representing your interests, with knowledge of software and copywrite law, negotiate the deal. If you didn't do that then the fault lies in your management not the vendor.

-- 
Daniel A. Morgan
http://www.psoug.org
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace x with u to respond)