Re: Mac Client on an Oracle 7 Server

In article <3jillr$63i_at_newsbf02.news.aol.com>, sigmike_at_aol.com (SIG Mike) wrote:

> My company is just about to start a new data base in the next few weeks.
> We are heading towards a Windows NT Server running Oracle 7. At the moment
> all we will have is three users, two Local and 1 remote user via a
> Macintosh PowerBook 540c. What Oracle Client software is available for the
> Macintosh right now?

Forms, Reports, Data Browser, Book and Client Tools (SQL*dba, SQL*Plus, Pro*C, an XCMD and some lame admin tools) are available for the Mac. These are all pre-CDE2 products. New, improved CDE2 is scheduled for April.

>It will have to allow a Macintosh Powerbook to dial
> into the data base using Remote Access Software.

I assume the NT Server and the Macs will want to be on a TCP/IP network. I doubt NT speaks appletalk (if so, it would be really easy).

1) A local Mac answers using ARA, and gateways to TCP/IP or
2) any number of SLIP or PPP dial-in boxes sits on the network or
3) the NT can answer the call with a local modem (a guess, but it must be

>The Macs dialing in are a
> Macintosh Quadra 610 and PowerMac 7100. What are the other alternatives to
> an Oracle 7 Server? Would that be a practical soultion?

Oracle is a Big Thing for only 3 users. Setup and admin is non-trivial. There are a lot of other answers such as 4D, FoxPro, Omnis, FileMaker etc. They would all be considerably easier and probably adequate. It depends on your needs, current and future, and your experience. Ask Liam Breck (breck_at_external.umass.edu) for a copy of his Client/Server summary. Regards,

Mike Kranzdorf                   mikek_at_krt.com