gnome-db/TOAD/gASQL (was Re: [gnome-db]Access-like prkect)

[Rodrigo Moya <rodrigo gnome-db org>]

Hi!

I was just talking with a friend about GNOME-DB, and I remembered some
things:

* when I started gnome-sql (a little UI which was able to connect to
PostgreSQL, and which was merged with GNOME-DB some time ago, since
GNOME-DB had a good infrastructure, and gnome-sql had a nice GUI), my
motivation was to make something similar to TOAD
(http://www.toadsoft.com), which I was using at that moment every day.
It's a windows app to access Oracle databases, and which allows you to
do everything that can be done with an Oracle database, but all with a
very nice GUI. Of course, my intention was not to clone that piece by
piece, but to have something similar in functionality. So, instead of
trying to copy Access, I think we could say GNOME-DB is trying to offer
the same fonctionality as TOAD, but getting some ideas from Access for
the UI part to make it easier for any user, and of course, being
DBMS-independent. For example, as far as I remember, TOAD did not have a
query designer, which we want to have in GNOME-DB. I say all this
following the thread about an Access-like app

* so, after remembering about TOAD, I went to their site, and it
reminded me of all those nice features it had and some that I really
want in GNOME-DB. And this reminded me of another thing, which I've been
thinking for a while, Vivien, which is to merge the functionality in
gASQL into GNOME-DB, and make one killer app instead of 2 good apps.
Also, if we support some of the things that are in gASQL in GNOME-DB,
we'll make a big pain to gASQL, since I suppose people won't install an
app that does the same that GNOME-DB, and which itself depends on
GNOME-DB. I know this means some extra work, and please note that by no
means do I want to "kill the competition" :-) by merging gASQL into
GNOME-DB, of course not, but I really think there should be a good app
for DB access in GNOME (like there is in Windows, with Access, Paradox,
etc) instead of 2 with redundant functionality, or with stuff supported
in one and not supported in the other one

so, should I shut up or is there something interesting in what I say?

cheers
--
Rodrigo Moya <rodrigo gnome-db org> - <rodrigo ximian com>
http://www.gnome-db.org/ - http://www.ximian.com/