In this installment of my Linux Myth series I take aim at the GNU/Linux database nay-sayers, and shoot them down.
There are probably thousands, if not millions, of custom, one-off databases created using proprietary software like the expensive Microsoft Access on Microsoft based systems. One “reason” given by some so-called “experts” as to why people cannot use GNU/Linux is the lack of a simple, easy to use, database package like Access. Oh really?
OpenOffice.org Base is just this sort of software. I have recently been “playing” with the OpenOffice.org Base software on my GNU/Linux desktop PC and have found it very easy to get started with. In fact, I have created some test databases, deleted them and started over a few times to get familiar with the basics of Base. My experience just using trial and error has shown me that Base is simple and easy for a database novice like myself. I am so confident it is simple and easy I have made a video of my creation of a database to store information about my CD collection. See the bottom of this article to download the video.
Not only is OpenOffice.org Base easy to get started with and use, it is potentially very powerful. According to the Base product page, one can link Base to a back-end database like MySQL or PostgreSQL. I would think one could use the form creation to create a front-end application for using a MySQL or PostgreSQL database. There are even plugins to connect to and use a Microsoft Access database as well as JDBC and ODBC standard drivers to allow connection to virtually any database. While I have done none of this advanced database work myself I see the tools in Base. For more information see the Base Wiki.
Take that, you nay-sayers.
Download the video here: http://www.eracc.com/files/ooo_base.ogv (This is an OGG Theora video that is 4:22 minutes and 19,305,875 bytes. This will work best if downloaded using right click + “save as” or your browser equivalent and run from a local hard drive. Trying to “stream” it with this URL is likely to fail. Need a player for Theora video? Get VLC. VLC is “free” software available for Microsoft, OS X, BeOS, GNU/Linux and other platforms.)
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Edit Fri May 22 12:00:45 CDT 2009: Add information about VLC for viewing Theora videos.
Ah, before someone else points this out. The Base <> Access connections only work on Microsoft systems for now. Other operating environments, like GNU/Linux, are being worked on but are not finished:
http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/Connecting_to_Microsoft_Access
Edit: I just noticed the last update for that page is 15 September 2007. It is likely there has been significant advancement since then. After all, this is a fast paced, open source project.
If anyone knows of updated information about connection to Microsoft Access databases please share that in a comment here.
Gene, One of the most typical complaints about OpenOffice Base when making stand alone databases, is the lack of being able to create a ‘menu’ or title page or to be able to run an OOo db on it’s own, meaning without loading the OOo, as one is able to do with Access db’s.
Beyond that, it is easily comparable and very easy to create tables, forms and queries as any other db product out there.
Also, Base is exceptional at connecting to other db’s such as MySQL
bigbearomaha, thank you for the comment. I think the ability to run Access databases stand-alone using a runtime is mainly there because Microsoft recognized that people wanted to develop software around Access and sell the result. It would be harder to sell these little applications to end users and get them to buy a full database package just to run an application developed with that database package.
Since one does not have to buy Base this would be less of an issue. The ability to create menus, title pages and other features will likely come to Base in time. But it is easily usable right now for a casual user or a small business needing to make some custom databases.
[...] Linux Myth: No Simple, Easy Database Software OpenOffice.org Base is just this sort of software. I have recently been ?playing? with the OpenOffice.org Base software on my GNU/Linux desktop PC and have found it very easy to get started with. In fact, I have created some test databases, deleted them and started over a few times to get familiar with the basics of Base. My experience just using trial and error has shown me that Base is simple and easy for a database novice like myself. I am so confident it is simple and easy I have made a video of my creation of a database to store information about my CD collection. See the bottom of this article to download the video. [...]
See also: Glom.
http://www.glom.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
Adam (comment #5), thanks for the heads up about Glom. I have downloaded and installed it but so far it will not create a database file using a default example name or any name I type in any directory I select. This should “just work”, but it is not. If Glom is to be recommended for those needing a simple, easy database solution then this problem is a show-stopper. I am going to review Glom … if I can ever get it to work for me.
Edit: just after I posted that I realized what I was doing wrong. Mark this one up to PEBKAC.
Follow-up about Glom. Yeah, it is easy. I think this Linux Myth needs a “Part 2″. I’ll play with Glom a bit then make another article + video about it.
Gene and bigbearomaha, The other reason OO Base doesn’t need the standalone feature is that there are a number of relatively simple database engines that are designed for embedding in small apps. The first one that comes to mind is SQLite, but there are others.
Roger (comment #8), thanks for reading and for your comment. I know about the light database engines that can be used with a programming project. However, they are not really what this article is meant to point out. Basically I wanted to show that there are GUI based tools like OO.o Base for easily creating a one-off database if needed. I know of at least three local businesses that have created custom databases with Microsoft Access. They used Access because it is GUI oriented and reported to be “easy” for “plain folk” to use.
I have been testing Openoffice (Windows) since the 1st version. The thing that kept me from using it is it slow start up. Sometimes it took over 1 minute to start (yes subsequent start is fast because it already cached in memory)
Compared to MS OFFIZE, altho it is proprietary, it is much faster during start up.
The second HUGE annoyance is the mail-merge tool. It is a joke. No matter how many times I taught my client to use it, they still prefer MS OFFIZE even though they have to pay over USD150 for the licence per machine.
(I am linux fan and use linux daily)