David, Gears is a client side framework for web applications. If you have a Java application (be it client standalone, web or server) and you want to embed a database system and be able to port it across platforms, Derby makes a lot of sense (being 100% Java); It has a strong and active development community and it is integrated in lots of other products ( http://wiki.apache.org/db-derby/UsesOfDerby). One can also purchase support outside of the community with Java DB (http://developers.sun.com/javadb), which is Sun's supported version of Apache Derby and which comes bundled in Sun JDK 6 as well as GlassFish Java application server.
Last, Derby has been developed with multi-user support and has been around for around 10 years, in various incarnations. If multi-user support is another important point for your application, Derby has a multi-threaded core engine with row-level locking and support for standard isolation levels, as well as online back-up / restore capabilities, data/network encryption and you can enable an embedded instance of Derby to be remotely accessible, if required. Hope this helps, --francois On 10/30/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > There are a couple of issues raised by your post/email... > > First the architecture decision on whether to use a java db or to use a c > language based db. You don't really talk about your application and any > design constraints. In some respects, the database could be separate from > your app. (A centralized DB server for example.) > > The second issue is Derby vs whatever.... > > What you're concerned with is finding a tool that has gained enough > critical > mass to be viable long term. I asked a question on linkedIn regarded what > criteria is there in determining if a software language/architecture has > obtained "critical mass". (COBOL, C/C++, Java, Python, ... all have or had > reached critical mass are viable long term) > > If we looked at MySQL, it has but it hasn't. Sure its free to develop in, > but wait until your app goes in to production.... I think that MySQL has > hit > a ceiling and I don't expect to see very much more growth. > > If you look at Derby, it exists as Cloudscape, Derby, and JavaDB. > (Although > IBM is pulling its support....) As JavaDB, I believe that Derby is close > to > achieving "critical mass". > > With respect to SQLite, I don't think that it has achieved "critical mass" > nor will it. There are a lot of other products out there that just doesn't > have the mind share to survive. > > Its nice that Google "supports" it, but is Google like Microsoft going to > support and promote its own development platform like .net and C#? > > Does this make sense? > As an "early" adopter, you're taking a risk that your platform/technology > will be viable over the next 5+ years or is portable enough to be easily > migrated.... > > > HTH > > -G > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: David Leader [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 2:54 PM > > To: Derby Discussion > > Subject: Derby v SQLite > > > > In another thread I recently wrote "I'm happy with the way that Derby > > has behaved, but I'd like to ask a provocative question nevertheless..." > > > > Back in the summer, when I told my son (who is a computer > > professional) that I had a Masters student porting my MySQL db to > > Derby, he told me I should be using SQLite, which is what Google is > > using in its Gears thing. I persisted with Derby, mainly because it > > is Java and my app was in Java, but I'd be interested to know what > > people regard as the relative strengths of weaknesses of the two > > embedded DBs. > > > > David > > > > > >
