On Sep 6, 2006, at 9:33 PM, Keith Hutchison wrote:
Hi Jay
Install Post and get it up and running, then install REALSQLServer.
Now imagine talking on the phone to a client 2000 miles away, who is
not a computer person, and getting Post set up. Argh.
VNCOSX - Connecting to VNC running on a support server.
I regularly support clients in Dallas, which is way more than 2000
miles away.
Good point. However...
The client would need to set up VNC on their Mac 'Server' (no big
deal here), would then have to access their router and open the
correct ports for VNC. Additionally they have to 'have' a static IP,
which costs more per month. In other words it goes beyond a drag and
drop install.
In our situation we will have hundreds (cross fingers) of clients -
therefore they need to be as self sustaining as possible.
RSQLS wins that one hands down.
Now imagine if something goes wrong with the database: I can pick up
the phone and call RS and say 'Geoff, the server is down, help'.
Postgres is well supported, but you can't really 'call' someone if
you need immediate help.
If you want commerical support for Postgres you just buy it.
Yep right, you buy it. Just like you buy the REALSQLServer. Since you
are now paying for either one, price is not as much as an issue.
Pricing:
Post is 'free' - which is great. However, you give up direct support
of a product often times when it is free. I would rather pay for the
product and have direct line to Geoff's cell phone :-)
I've been using postgres for 6+ years, no hassles at all.
I agree - it's a great database and we have been using it since...
well probably about the same amount of time.
In fact, it was one of the products that we initially coded our
application around. Once it was installed it worked very well (for
us) - but so did MySql, OpenBase etc.
However, at some point we went to our beta sites (3) and asked them
to install and configure it (Post) themselves. Argh, what a
nightmare. They got our app installed; no problem, but once that
command line prompt appeared it was the beginning of the end.
Keep in mind that our target market are insurance agents: for the
most part, people that are *not* computer people. Usually 5-10 person
businesses.
To install most other databases (Openbase excluded) it was a effort
of futility to have them do it on their own - command line stuff, VNC
stuff, them having to change their internet service from standard
broadband (DHCP) to static, then configuring their router, DNS
entries, open ports etc etc. All of that went beyond a point and
click install. The time it took them and us made it not worth it.
Will we have to have VNC set up on some client sites? - probably. But
because we went with REALSQLServer instead of have to have that in
100's of client sites, it will make it only a few. i.e. less support
= higher profit.
Our #1 goal (outside of making a great Mac-like app) was to do
something that our competition does not do.. Point and click install.
Our main competitor, a Windows based app, requires an on site
installation and at least a week of training. We wanted to turn that
on it's head with a point and click install and several hours of self-
paced training.
As an anecdotal note, I also own an Apple Specialist Dealer (for
almost 17 years) - because of that we have a wealth of experience
with customers trying to install and configure these types of things
- we are the ones they usually call for help. We know that the more
point and click an app is, the more profitable we are because we are
spending less time on the phone configuring, setting up etc etc.
- Jay
--
Keith Hutchison
http://balance-infosystems.com http://realopen.org
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