RSSSybase Frees Up ASE for Linux
By David Worthington | Published September 10, 2004, 3:05 AM
Dublin, California headquartered Sybase, Inc. has provided the Linux community with a whopping endowment: a free distribution of its enterprise class Linux database – Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (ASE) Express Edition.
Due to Sybase's generosity, developers will be able to build, test and deploy database applications without being charged a license fee.
Sybase ASE is an award winning package for database deployment and production purposes that has won the LinuxWorld Magazine Readers' Choice Award for "Best Linux Database" and "Best SMB Linux Package" in the Open Source World Magazine's Editor's Choice Awards.
"This is a bold move that could significantly entice Linux developers to make Sybase their choice for new development and deployment," said Gerald Kerr, senior research advisor for The Standish Group.
"We have consistently found that Sybase ASE running on Linux offers the lowest TCO of any high-performance database platform—over Oracle, IBM or Microsoft. Sybase ASE Express Edition for Linux deepens this value proposition by eliminating license fees, and helping to give Sybase access to new markets among both developers and enterprises."
Sybase ASE Express Edition for Linux is available as a free download from Sybase's Web site. Pricing for support plans starts at $2,200 USD per year and includes telephone support and named support contacts.
Thanks Sybase! This is a major contribution that allows the Linux community free access to a top notch relational database.
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|The ASE part of the name means it is "based on" the code for Sybase's Adaptive Server Enterprise product, but this is NOT that product. It's an "Express Edition" which is limited to 5GB of total data storage. Not 5GB per table. Not 5GB per database. We're talking about 5GB per server. That may be plenty for learning, for hobbyist apps, or for little PHP web sites but it's far short of Enterprise level data management, and I can't imagine anybody who has an app critical enough that they would pay $2,200 per year to get support on this DBMS yet still be satisfied with a 5GB limit.
So really this is a publicity stunt. It's basically the same thing you've always been able to get as a free trial except that instead of expiring after a certain period of time, it merely limits you to 1 CPU, 2GB RAM, and 5GB data storage.
And I don't consider something TRULY free if I have to provide my phone number before downloading. Sure, you can enter a fake one but it's pretty clear that this "giveaway" is intended only to generate sales leads, not to generously boost the Linux platform. Again, same thing as giving away the free trial copies before.
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|Spiked: So it is then. Wow, thanks for clearning that up. I bet it still might generate a couple Microsoft flames.
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