[KLUG Members] Re: Postgresql -- sell a hardware solution ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Wed, 2002-02-27 at 10:01, Adam Bultman wrote:
> My question:
> Obviously, PHP and Postgres run excellent on linux.  However,
> the issue with me is:  What happens when I get the phone call
> that the prog has been sold to a windows freak?

Sell a "complete hardware solution" in "black box" form.  You'll
increase your profit margin and reduce support calls at the same time
since _you_ control the components, both hardware and OS/support.  ;-P

It will also be easier to handle updates.  You'll just send them a CD. 
You don't have to worry about your customers fetching their own
PostgreSQL and PHP.

I have advocated this _exact_ model to the "vertical application market"
at large.  Don't follow a stupid Windows "I've gotta support other
software than my own" model (e.g., MSSQL, Access, etc...).  _You_
control the platform with Linux.

In fact, I'd _market_ the solution as such:

  "Sick of messing with Windows internals to support an app?
   Sick of mixing incompatible software on your server?
   Don't want to buy another server for software?
   
   Why not buy a server dedicated to the application with
   the application for _less_ than the cost of their
   application?

   No more software conflicts!
   Easy installation and, more importantly, upgrades!
   Far more reliable!
   100% standards-based protocols!"

> My question: Have you run postgres on windows inside cygwin
> before?  My boss has high hopes of selling this; but the
> windows/postgres issue has me worried.

Several people on the SQL-Ledger list have, and usually with poor
results (let alone the security issues).

You could _try_ to adapt your PHP application to MS SQL c/o
ActiveState's products.  But then you're going to increase your costs,
both in support software and further/dual-homed development.

-- Bryan

-- 
MSWord is not even a "proprietary standard."  That would
require it to be fully compatible with itself, let alone
other products from the same vendor (e.g., MSPublisher).
--------------------------------------------------------
Bryan J. Smith, Engineer       mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org
SmithConcepts, Inc.         http://www.SmithConcepts.com