Good database program

[MickG]

Does anyone know of a good cheap/cost effective database program? I'm really just after a user friendly contact/sales management program to record customer details, contact with them, date of next contact etc.
I used to use Filemaker Pro and Goldmine, both of which have advanced beyond what I really need and therfore don't need to spend that much for a lot of stuff I wont use.

All help appreciated. Alternatively who can cost effectively write me some database software to host on my web site?

Aye, Mick

[Phoenix]

I use access (because we already had it as part of office) for a client database. It works well enough for what I use it for. But if you haven't already got it, probaby not worth the money. But that's not for online websites. SQL would be the way to go for that.

[Cap]

Im a DB developer (in SQL and Access) so heres my 2 cents worth. You have 2 issues from what I can gather:

1) to store information about customer on a DB
2) have a web front end to the DB

The first one can easily be achieved using Microsoft Access as part of the Officer suite. The second one is more complex, requires something like ASP.NET to program the interface for web usage. This IS EXPENSIVE, but you get the cadilac of front ends and more felxibility (such as customers themselves updating contact details). But theres security issues if your going to have a web interface outside your firewall. (yes, IT stuff gets complex)

If a web front is not really needed, I suggest either using Access forms for a front end or something like InfoPath (part of Office 2003) for the front end. You dont need to go to SQL if you dont expect hundreds of thousands of records, plus theres added complications such as SQL server licenses etc etc.

At the moment im using InfoPath forms with SQL2000 for a project im working on, and its more than sufficient (much better than Access forms).

Cheers,

[incisor]

http://www.softempire.com/radix.html

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[MickG]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, currently downloading a few trial versions of various programs plus Outlaw has been helping me all this morning with some options too.

Will hopefully find something suitable soon so I can get on with the business.

Cheers, Mick

[akitda]

Hi,

I am a Datawarehouse analyst and we use Oracle 10g.

However, in your case, I think the best suit will be Access db while you can use Access, VB.NET or ASP.NET to do the frond end. Or on the other hand, you can use MySQL together with PHP (which is free of charge).

Hope this might help,

Cheers,

Greg

[Omaroo]

I used to use Filemaker Pro and Goldmine, both of which have advanced beyond what I really need

... and you guys are trying to push him down an Access or xxSQL/Oracle route?

Mick - if you want a simple GUI-driven tool that is reasonably configurable I'd stay with FileMaker and run the web publisher extension to get to it via the web. Otherwise you're going to be mucking around in higher-end developer stuff. How good are you at understanding relational database theory and how that couples to a scripted server environment like PHP or .ASP/.NET?

[Cap]

wow - theres a few geeks on this forum :D

[incisor]

there is more than a few....


it gets scary from time to time...;)

[Bytemrk]

geeks... where...:eek::eek:




There are 10 types of people in the world...

....those that understand binary...... and those that dont:angel:


Mark

[Pedro_The_Swift]

it is true about geeks,,

thats jokes as old as inc,,,:p


ready to go Mark?:burnrubber:

[MickG]

... and you guys are trying to push him down an Access or xxSQL/Oracle route?

Mick - if you want a simple GUI-driven tool that is reasonably configurable I'd stay with FileMaker and run the web publisher extension to get to it via the web. Otherwise you're going to be mucking around in higher-end developer stuff. How good are you at understanding relational database theory and how that couples to a scripted server environment like PHP or .ASP/.NET?

Very much appreciate everyone's input but I have to agree with Omaroo on this one..........I am relatively computer literate but start talking "relational database theory and how that couples to a scripted server environment like PHP or .ASP/.NET" and you loose me.

Have played around with the file maker pro trial version today and this will probably fulfill my needs once I configure it to suit and find a cheaper version of it somewhere.......anyone know where I can get it at a reasonable price;)

[incisor]

www.filelist.org (http://www.filelist.org)

no, gone, only has server on it now :P

no, still there :P need bloody glasses.....

[Omaroo]

Onya Mick. Filemaker is a good bit of kit that is well under-rated by some. Even though we develop our own stuff using the high-end tools under Solaris and other 'nix flavours, I still use FileMaker to actually modell the end result in first. It's quick and gives us a good understanding of how a project will finally hang together. Works a treat!

[amtravic1]

Have you tried OpenOffice. It comes with a database program and the whole suite is free. I regularly use the writer part of the suite but dont know anything about/ have no use for a data base so cant comment on that.

Ian

[George130]

I was going to say oracle 10G is way over his needs. We use Oracle 9 at the moment and are about to switch to 10G. Our interfac is a mixture of proprietor built, inhouse delphi and SQL all running through citrix. I'm the only production guy left in the project so i'm the developer, first tester and maintenance guy all in one:eek: .

We are also looking into a web interface for down the track.

Access is fairly easy and capable for small simple databassess. Gets very messy over the years if diferent people maintain it. I havn't played with the others mentioned but have even seen people using excell with a jave front end.

[Bytemrk]

it is true about geeks,,

thats jokes as old as inc,,,:p


ready to go Mark?:burnrubber:
i'm not sure the joke is THAT old :eek::eek::eek::eek:













.... just kidding Inc:angel:


Yes Pedro.. just about ready... the kids are counting the hours!.... did you know there are only 202 hours to go :eek::eek:.... I suspect that will get annoying by the time they get below 50....

Mark

[Ralf_the_RR]

Mick,
It sounds like you don't need anything too complicated.
I've played with various database programs, and some of them are very complex.

Your request does not seem too deep, so maybe something simple like Excel will do the job.
You'd be surprised how powerful it can be.

[MickG]

so maybe something simple like Excel will do the job.
You'd be surprised how powerful it can be.

Hey Ralph, I love Excel and use it tons for various work applications but the one thing I am specifically looking for from a program, are fields where I can input dates and then on these dates, customer records will be highlighted. EG. when I open the program each morning, it will give me a list of people to contact that day. Outlook obviously does this but I would have to manually go into each day and type a whole bunch of customer info. One date on a customer file is all I want to type, plus some notes etc but they need to be on the customers file.

I would also like to search individual fields and be the program be able to return customer files info for that field as I type it in. I know Filemaker Pro does this (or at least did when I used it) but if excel can do something similar then I am all over it as I know Excel pretty well............other than the techical coding side that is!

Cheers again, Mick

[Ralf_the_RR]

Mick,

I reckon Excel could do what you want.

Look up:
Filtering,
Conditional formatting,
NOW() or TODAY() function.

Visual Basic code can do heaps.
Try recording a simple macro, and then try to decipher the code.
The help in visual basic is CR#P though.

You could even have a "front end" form that displays/filters the data, and have the actual data hidden the background.
This requires a bit of VB (Visual Basic - not beer) coding knowledge to make it run fast & smooth.

If you want, send me some sample data (with bogus info) and a detailed description of what you want, and I'll give it a go.

[Ralph1Malph]

Im a DB developer (in SQL and Access) Cheers,

Hey, Umm, Stooge,
Are you near me?:angel:
I dabble in access but want to learn more to make my 'homemade' databases actually work properly :mad:

Ralph

[Cap]

Ralph, geographically im not near you (Hobart) but hey, in the world of internet everyone is close :)

The secret to a a DB working properly is a good thought out DB schema, understanding what information you want to colect, why you want to collect it and the relationship between information. This then determines the schema, ie, what tables you need to create and within those what fields and field types.... *****, DB stuff is not that complex once you have the basic understanding.

So what do you need to know Ralph?

Cheers,

Carlos

[incisor]

Mick,

I reckon Excel could do what you want.

Look up:
Filtering,
Conditional formatting,
NOW() or TODAY() function.


why reinvent the wheel, for 99 bucks radix does it and more all ready :P

[Ralf_the_RR]

why reinvent the wheel, for 99 bucks radix does it and more all ready :P

Why buy a program to make a rounder wheel.
He has Excel!

If it's a flat table and all he is doing is making an inquiry (filter), then he already has the equipment.
It's just applying more features and getting more out of Excel.

I'm not saying that Excel is the ultimate database program, in fact it's far from it. The data he wants seems very simple, and a full on relational database will certainly do it, but is realy not required.

[Omaroo]

...who can cost effectively write me some database software to host on my web site
"website"

I think that he wants to make it available via his website, so either he stays with FileMaker (which has an intuitive GIU front end) and publishes the db to the web in one stroke of a mouse, or he uses a CMS with a contact module. Both are very easy and presentable over the 'net.

[akitda]

Our company is currently evaluating the Application Express (actually I am the evaluator :D ) and I have just got a presentation from Oracle regarding the Oracle Application Express 2.2. It's worth to have a look in that.

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/application_express/index.html

The Application Express (known as HTML DB ) is free of charge from Oracle which can be used as a front end tool for Oracle Express DB.

Cheers,

Greg