I vote for PostgreSql because MySql is really a joke as far as database systems go. I know a lot of people like it but the list of things it doesn't support like triggers ect. could fill a room. It's spatial support is awful too. We tried using it here when we saw that it supported spatial data and it ended up being less than worthless. Some of the other posters are correct though in order to use it somebody will have to wrap it up into a nice personal data type package or nobody is going to use it. Make the format open like the table format is currently so people can write addins. Then somebody will probably write a conversion tool to export the theoretical "MapInfo Personal GeoBase" to ESRI geodatbase and an import tool as well.
-----Original Message----- From: Matt Carlson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 3:27 AM To: MapInfo-L (mapinfo-l@lists.directionsmag.com) Subject: RE: MI-L GeoDatabases I agree with the separate thread: it was the geodatabase talk that got me interested. I occasionally use MapInfo and ArcView 9 and I'm currently looking around at new GIS software (because I need network topology), and I see that just about every other GIS software now has a better organised data structure. I've looked at the following software: ArcEditor / ArcInfo: Access-based 'Personal Geodatabases' Cadcorp MapModeller: Access-based, similar Manifold GIS: Can store data in .MAP (Manifold Project - which is like the workspace and geodatabase rolled into one) or link to an Access database containing polygons etc. No decision yet, but they've all made an attempt at sensible storage... I'm not worried about enterprise databases so much - I just want to store the stuff I'm working on in a sensible structure: I think the time has come to end the sea of .Tab files and workspaces which bomb out at the slightest error... Oh, for the rest of my day-job, I use EMME/2 (http://inro.ca), which similarly stores just about everything in its own binary database, with an 8Gb file size limit... Will 64-bit Windows give us bigger Access file sizes? Cheers, Matt __________________________________________________________________________ Matt Carlson Senior Transport Planner Arup 13 Fitzroy Street, London, W1T 4BQ, UK Tel: +44 (0)20 7755 4114 Fax: +44 (0)20 7755 2451 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.arup.com http://www.arup.com/transportplanning/ __________________________________________________________________________ -----Original Message----- From: Lars V. Nielsen (HVM) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 18 February 2005 10:12 To: 'MapInfo List' Subject: Re: MI-L GeoDatabases Good idea to branch this into a separate thread. The primary idea behind adopting a "personal geodatabase" - as I see it - is to relieve the "ordinary" non-technical users from having to deal with individual files and any files/tables hierachy. Everything gets stored in a single "project" database, maybe even with inter-table relationsships. In a single file that can be copied, moved and shared without problem. I agree that using a "real" database, i.e. a "service oriented" rather than a file based database, is the technical better choice. However, non-techy users cannot install nor maintain such an installation, so it'll end up being a hazzle rather than a relief. They need something simpler and file based, just like an Access database. But the desktop database choice needs to include a relatively easy path for the possibility of up-scaling to a real database, an "enterprise geodatabase". As Access has with SQL server. If someone can build a "personal" file based version of PostgreSQL or MySQL, I'll supports it vigorously. Otherwise I'll keep rooting for Access. Best regards / Med venlig hilsen Lars V. Nielsen -------------------------------------------------------- Hvenegaard & Meklenborg Rugaardsvej 55, DK-5000 Odense C Denmark http://www.hvm.dk ----- Original Message ----- From: "SCISOFT" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'MapInfo List'" <mapinfo-l@lists.directionsmag.com> Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 10:26 AM Subject: MI-L GeoDatabases Since the topic "Differences between MapInfo and ArcView" became a lot broader than MI and ArcGIS - it has ranged into database storage, and appropriate models for spatial databases - I've started a new thread, reflecting that topic - "GeoDatabases". My view is that spatial data storage, and data interchange - are the big issues. The proprietary feature-sets, the UI peculiarities, programmability, and even the modelling of the GIS entities ("arcs", lines, polywotsits, etc) might be entrenched - though there has been some flexibility in recent years. But the growth of data and its management are things that require some tools, and some thought and planning, even for the smaller "desktop" users. (ESRI) geodatabases are - in my view - an excellent idea, that should be copies - but what ESRI has done is to provide some of the requisite spatial data modelling for particular communities of interest (like geology, for example) which provide the right lead, the sensible example to follow for those of us that need a bit of revision on the why-fors of databases, let alone spatial database design and implementation. Ian Thomas GeoSciSoft - Perth, Australia -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. 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