Hi everyone,

First, I'd like to comment on what a fantastic job all of the core and project team members do, in maintaining, updating and supporting the DNN framework.

The only real limitation I can see from the core release product is a surprising lack of data providers. I know the Firebird project is well under way, but are there any plans to have a MySQL provider included with the core framework at any stage in the future?

Apart from MSDE and now SQLExpress, MySQL would have to be one of the largest and most supported free databases.  Over teh years, I have had web sites hosted with over 100 hosts, on both linux and windows platforms, and every one I've come across to date includes MySQL databases as part of the hosting package, where the MS SQL is additional.

Please dont get the wrong idea.  I'm all for supporting the MS platform, and think the .NET framework is great.  I use the MS SQL on my companie's web server (running DNN 4.3.7), but I also do a bit of design work for a couple of charities who want the functionality provided by DNN, but can't afford adding MS SQL to their current web hosting arangements.

I think DNN is a product that deserves widespread support from the general web designer / web hosting / web developmet community.  The best way to leverage this would be to take the Firebird project a lot further and add providers to the core for other (perhaps more popular??) databases such as MySQL and Oracle.

I can hear people screaming "You can write your own provider"... this is true, however creating such a beast requires an intimate understanding of not only the data access routines, but the core framework itself.  Someone without this knowledge or programming skill (someone like me!) would either niot be able to create the required code, or would manage to completely break the core DAL.

Logically, to provide maximum support and useability, providers for additional databases ideally should be part of the core distribution.

OK guys, I've had my vent and made my suggestion.  You may shoot at will, but please only use foam bullets!

Steve.

Michael,

I was not aware of the history associated with the data providers. I cannot fully appreciate the frustration you have in this endeavor because I don't know what it requires. I too have minimal development capability to offer. I run a lot of solutions on LAMP environments and work as a consultant in the construction industry. The construction industry is one of the largest industries in the world and this country. Yet, it runs on a paper thin profit margin. There is a lot of money to be made, and very little left over after the projects blow their budgets.

But, back to the original thought. LAMP environments provide the construction industry with alternatives that are more cost effective and efficient for their needs. LINUX is in the industry to stay and is gaining popularity. So is MySQL. While the demand is small now, and the opportunities are few - I see a lot of potential in this industry for project management solutions using DNN. Recently Microsoft and Novell made a couple announcments of how Microsoft will now contribute and take an active role in developing MONO to leverage ASP.NET on the Linux platform. Microsoft also recognizes that the database of choice on Linux is MySQL with PostGRE folling closely behind.

My brother (a DoD software engineer, WINE developer, and MONO developer) and I discussed the impacts of this decision by Microsoft and what they are doing. The only thing we can agree on is that Microsoft is pulling an "Old Blue" where they are doing what IBM did to redefine themselves. If Microsoft is doing that, then the chances are higher that Microsoft will start porting all of their .NET applications to work with MySQL so they can maintain sales and continuity in their offerings. With that said, it is quite possible that SharePoint could be ported to MySQL when MONO reaches full ASP.NET 2.0 compliance.

Am I off base here? Am I missing something?

I also turn to Michaels tutorials, reviews, and comments more frequently than anyone else. I am just not a regular contributor to forums because gurus like Mr. Washington have gotten all of the answers out in the open before I even had the question. Kudos to you!

Regards,
Christopher Stimpson