looking for py/database ideas

[Christopher Browne]

On Mon, 09 Aug 1999 21:22:07 GMT, Les Schaffer <godzilla at netmeg.net> wrote:
>a business/suit type friend of mine apprached me the other day about
>helping him port an existing commercial Paradox database app to
>something ""more modern"".
>
>having vanishingly small database experience, i proceeded first to
>browse the bookshelves for tips, and then after asking around some
>amongst software friends, have learned that using MS Access / DAO /
>VBA is considered de rigeur these days.
>
>needless to say, this has induced derigor mortis in me. 
>
>so i am fishing for ideas on other ways to build database
>applications, and having just built a 10k line engineering simulation
>app in python last year, i am interested in hearing if pythoners have
>ideas for implementing comerical-type databases in python.
>
>my buddy doesnt know what size market he has for this yet, but it will
>initially be aimed at local municipalities in the US (small to medium
>size towns and cities) who need to keep track of things (i shouldnt
>say what things yet) which live in that municipality. as such, we are
>not talking about high-availablity requirements -- wont be more than a
>handful to tens of people (this is high) accessing the database at any
>one time.
>
>web access to db MIGHT be important if people in the field needed to
>add data to the DB over a network connection (again, not a lot at one
>time). 
>
>the main concern over the existing Paradox DB is upgrade to what my
>friend thinks is a more modern db system -- thats his opinion, i have
>none since i know nothing about this -- whatever that means. i think
>he thinks moving to a newer db system would allow for better solutions 
>for db needs, and would move away from paradox which he thinks is a
>dying db system. 
>
>so..... i smell an opportunity to point him towards alternative
>solutions. 
>
>can things be done with python to create databases with a decent GUI
>interface and Web access (err, not MS access) -- i am playing with
>Zope a lil right now -- and SQL and all those goodie buzzwords. and
>how hard would it be to integrate a python-esque type solution with
>existing standard off-the-shelf systems running in other departments
>(in other words, if another db system in that municipality used, say,
>Acceess, could our solution be --- uhhh -- integrable with that system 
>(boy do i need some buzzwords). 
>
>just looking for some pointers to help my friend who, you may not
>believe this from reading the above, is far more clueless than me.

I've got some material at the URL below on a variety of approaches
that are being taken as alternatives to the "Embedding it In MS
Access" application development approach.

Rather than being Python-centric, it's somewhat Linux-centric.

If it has useful URLs, so be it; if there are constructive comments to
be made on it, email is fine; if there are interesting approaches and
relevant URLs, that would be welcome.

By the way, the term "integrable" is often used by mathematicians, but
almost never by "systems integrators."

-- 
Rules of the Evil Overlord #55. "I will maintain a healthy amount of
skepticism when I capture the beautiful rebel and she claims she is
attracted to my power and good looks and will gladly betray her
companions if I just let her in on my plans." 
cbbrowne at ntlug.org- <http://www.ntlug.org/~cbbrowne/framewrk.html>