making databases Web-accessible

[Patrick Frisbie]

Steve Washko wrote:
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions about how to make databases
> Web-accessible?
> 
> [stuff deleted...]
>
> Does anyone have experience with such products as Cold Fusion,
> DBWeb, the Internet Database Connector feature of Microsoft's
> Internet Information Server, or any other product we might not be
> aware of?

Of the three products you mentioned Cold Fusion is your best choice.
Both DBWeb and and the Internet Database Connector are stop-gap products
for Microsoft (DBWeb was purchased by MS) until MS can roll out their
ActiveX server-side technologies.  I have extensive experience with Cold
Fusion and I have found it to be far more productive than writing
C++/SQL applications.  Typical of a 4GL, Cold Fusion is not as flexible
as C++ but I rarely find its limitations getting in my way.  Also, it
has a SMTP interface that will solve your email notification requirement
quite nicely (say 10 lines of code).

The key to your application will be your choice of DBMS.  Cold Fusion
uses ODBC, so you have a lot of options.  You may be tempted to use
Access, but if response time is an issue you should go with something
robust like MS SQL Server.  If a 2-5 seconds response time on a page
load (not counting the download time) is acceptable, then use Access.

Regards,

Patrick Frisbie
Frisbie Technology
pfrisbie at interaccess.com
http://homepage.interaccess.com/~pfrisbie