Michelle:
I have to disagree with your statement "In an Oracle7 vs. Sql server showdown Sql server will win." The case in point is egghead.com, if you look at the statements from Egghead's management, it is clear that they tried to go with SQL Server and found that it just didn't scale. Now they are Oracle end-to-end. I'm sure as time goes on, there will be even more compelling stories. Oracle is becoming (if it isn't already) the database of choice for e-commerce web site back ends. SQL Server is perfectly positioned as the upgrade path for people who are afraid of database corruption in MS Access <G>. Then again, Oracle has a tool to migrate your Access database to Oracle <VBG>. On the low, low end, what I've seen for Oracle and the PalmPilot is pretty impressive. I will be going that route for a client, saving them the trouble and expense of managing a slew of laptops for people in the field.
Microsoft is starting to get hammered, not just on NT and not just in the database realm. NT 5 keeps getting fatter and farther away. Their pricing structure for thin-clients was blasted last week by the CIO of FedEx who can potentially shift something like 60,000 windows workstations to java-based, Microsoft-free NCs. The Sun, AT&T and DOJ lawsuits are generating tons of bad press for the nice people in Redmond.
Meanwhile, Oracle is partnering with all of the major Linux players, giving IS a low-cost, reliable alternative to SQL Server/NT for departmental and workgroup use. Oracle is hyping Oracle8i as making the file system irrelevant (we'll start to see on Monday). So if you don't need NT for your database, and you don't need NT for file and print sharing, what do you use it for?
I wouldn't bet the farm on SQL Server/NT/anyone taking huge chunks of market share away from the Oracle/Unix side. It is one thing to deal with bloated, buggy Microsoft software on a workstation until the service packs arrive. The tolerance for software that doesn't perform as hyped is much lower when your highly visible database application just won't work properly (I know Oracle releases are far from bug free, but they do deliver on their promises of functionality and scalability).
-Michael |
