Re: [Firebird-docs] this doc subject vs. ibphoenix developers CD

[Helen B. <he...@tp...>]

At 04:20 PM 3/08/2004 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi, unlike the MySQL.  FireBird doesn't have the free detailed documents.
>Is this subject planning to make the documents for free but as good as
>ibphoenix developers CD which cost hundreds bucks?

In time, yes.  The IBPhoenix policy is to charge for the commissioned 
documents until they have paid for themselves and then to open-doc them to 
the project.

The Quick Start Guide (which actually has always been free) has already 
passed into this project.  Next to come will be the Using Firebird book 
from the CD which, though it hasn't paid for itself yet, is now superseded 
by the recently-published paper book, "The Firebird Book".


>If that is so, I may wait for the free ones from this sub-project.

You may. :)  Actually, there's a lot going on around the project in the 
area of documentation.  Since the Firebird website is about to undergo a 
makeover (over the next 3 months) you might find it easier in future to 
locate documentation you need.


>I am going to migrate my old InterBase 6.0 open source version Server to
>FirdBird1.5.  I will only use it for simple database management to support
>web sites etc.  I assume if I stay with my "old" developer's way which the
>Interbase 6.0 documents taught me, I can still manage to run the FireBird
>1.5 with Interbase 6.0 documents.

Well, no Firebird documentation is going to try to change your ways with 
regard to developing applications.  A better database engine doesn't 
magically create better programmers or designers. If you wrote good apps 
for IB 6, you'll write good apps for Firebird.

Currently, you can't get everything you need FREE in a single document, but 
the IB6 beta docs + 1.0 Release notes + 1.5 Release notes are all free, and 
together cover everything you need to know about Firebird, for those who 
want to take the trouble to download them and READ them.

Writing documentation takes a lot of effort, testing and people 
hours.  It's a job that is never finished.  It wouldn't hurt you to be a 
slightly grateful that there are people working long hours--for love, not 
money--or contributing their own money, so that people like you can get 
easy access to FREE documentation to accompany your FREE software...

Helen