1. RE: Oracle DB for $5K?
> From: C. K. Lester [mailto:euphoric at cklester.com]
>
> Can anybody explain to me how Oracle can justify charging $5K
> for their "Oracle Standard Edition One," one-processor server
> database?
Because someone is buying it at that price.
Matt Lewis
2. RE: Oracle DB for $5K?
C. K. Lester wrote:
>
>
> Can anybody explain to me how Oracle can justify charging $5K for their
> "Oracle Standard Edition One," one-processor server database?
Perhaps image. People sometimes buy according to image. The image of a
product is enhanced if the price is high.
Some years ago I heard a story told in a meeting about a guy tried to
sell a program for a small fraction of the price of most competing
programs. Paradoxically he had few buyers. Then he increased the price
to where it was more normal and he had lots of buyers. There was general
agreement in the meeting that the explanation was high price enhances
the image of the product.
Image is a part of marketing.
I wonder how many people think freeware is crap.
Jerry Story
3. RE: Oracle DB for $5K?
A number of resources are available for free for development /
educational purposes:
http://otn.oracle.com/software/products/oracle9i/index.html
Keep in mind that Oracle being what it is, you will need at least a
40GB drive dedicated to this. The free developer's suite is available
on DVD-ROM, but I can't find the correct URL at the moment.
>>> jstory at edmc.net 10/15/2003 3:02:04 PM >>>
C. K. Lester wrote:
> Can anybody explain to me how Oracle can justify charging $5K for
their
> "Oracle Standard Edition One," one-processor server database?
Perhaps image. People sometimes buy according to image. The image of a
product is enhanced if the price is high.
4. RE: Oracle DB for $5K?
C. K. Lester wrote:
>
>
> Can anybody explain to me how Oracle can justify charging $5K for their
> "Oracle Standard Edition One," one-processor server database?
This responce is based on a number of other replies I quickly
browsed.
Wow, despite the off topic post I'm pretty amazed at some of the
responces to this thread!
Firstly, I think everyone should feel lucky that quiet a number of
inexpensive or free (as in in beer and freedom) database servers are
available that are high quality and no more difficult to use than
Oracle. So what if Oracle or MS or Sybase or IBM want to charge
huge amounts of money for their products. Just go and use one of
the many alternatives like MySQL, PostreSQL, FireBird/Interbase, SAP
DB, etc etc.
Do we see people complaining that Porsche's are expensive? No we
just go out and buy a more reasonably priced car.
Not one of the databases listed above (in both lists) has all of the
features of the others. So analyse the requirements you "need" for
each job and then make a choice.
Each DB above has many users so obviously people see benefits for
each. Big business see benefits different to us techie's.
Businesses wants to make sure the company selling the product is
successful with a long future. They want to make sure support will
be available for problems that occur. That future releases of the
software will be competitive (or more advanced) then the other DB
packages. That it has a proven track record in doing what the
prospective new user is wanting to do.
Secondly, it is completely wrong to compare database.e with Oracle.
Oracle is one of the top database servers avaialable. It is a fully
blown SQL database server with live backups/restores, security,
highly scalable, etc etc. Database.e is a simple record manager.
Depending on each particular task being done it might be best to use
a full blown DB server or simple record manager. Once that decison
has been made then look at what tool you wish to use.
Thirdly, I beleive a developer version is available at no (or little)
cost. So that's a pretty huge benefit for developers who want to
develop Oracle based software and sell there products to users who
actually pay the big money. Being a developer we should thank Oracle
for giving us a chance to develop Oracle based software!
I'm not an Oracle freak by the way. I have used it very a few times
in a very limited capacity and had no problems with it.
I have also used Sybase and MS SQL and haven't had any real problems
with those either.
Personlly I'm a big PostrgeSQL and Firebird fan so if I wanted to a
DB I'd choose one of those. (both 100% free).
If I was in charge of a multi national web site with 100,000's of
hits per day and storing many gigabytes of data I'd have to seriously
consider Oracle. I'd also consider PostrgeSQL and Firebird as well.
I wouldn't consider database.e!
Regards,
Ray Smith
http://rays-web.com
5. RE: Oracle DB for $5K?
C. K. Lester wrote:
> Ray Smith wrote:
> >C. K. Lester wrote:
> My point was, with so many free, almost-as-powerful if not as powerful
> databases available on the market, what foo- person- is going to
> purchase a $5K database?!
Because Oracle is a large stable company who has been in the DB
business for many years and has a proven track record of being 1 of
the top 2 DB providers.
The point being that most people who make big decisions do so on the
performance of other people you have made similiar decisions in the
past.
The old line "No one was ever fired for buying IBM" (Now Microsoft I
guess) means that if others choose Oracle in the past and it worked ...
then people will choose Oracle in the future.
It takes the brave to choose other options, and if these decisions
are high profile and successful a shift begins. If these brave
people choose something else and it fails ... they get fired!
> >I'm not an Oracle freak by the way.
> >
> We know, Ray. You're just a plain freak. hehehe. Joking! :P
You're probably right :)
> >Personlly I'm a big PostrgeSQL and Firebird fan so if I wanted to a
> >DB I'd choose one of those. (both 100% free).
> >
> I've always had a leaning toward PostgreSQL, but it seems MySQL might be
>
> catching up, don't you think?
MySQL has been improving. It still has better support for Windows.
PostrgeSQL is still the most complete Open Source DB for the *nix
platform.
Firebird (the open source Interbase) always seems to get forgotten
when talking about Open Source DB's. Firebird is really really good
and more people should seriously consider it.
Regards,
Ray Smith
http://rays-web.com
