I found this a good platform from which I could add reasonably advanced
features such as logins, personal portfolios for each user, etc, without my
having  a strong grounding in the language.

I have since ported a small looping graphic intensive app from Vbscript to a
Delphi 5 PRO executable. This proved to have a 10fold speed improvement over
Vbscript doing the same task  (20 minutes versus 200+ minutes).

I would like to port the Perl based website to Delphi ISAPI with the hope it
will prove a quicker, more solid platform.

I need a solid basic database platform with which I can start since I am new
to Delphi - preferably SQL  based although I have no experience in this
field too.

Has anyone any recommendations as to which platforms I can look at,
preferably with basic working ISAPI examples.

and i Stopped at Microsoft SQL server 6.5 because it's the first server that
let me create a table
without having to do mutch configuration....

and now With SQL Server 7.0 ... it's to lagh about ... it's so easey you can
do it with your eys closed ...

i'm not a PRO Microsoft ... but if they had to market somthing fairly good
... for me it was SQL server .

if you need examples on ISAPI i can give you a couple to get you started ...
with the database SQL Script. ( to create the tables without having to do it
your self)

I.e. a guest Book is a good Start ISAPI

you can if you wish , have a look at my online dictionary and the guest book
witch are both using
ISAPI & SQL Server. at www.shutamsoft.dynip.com

--
Sandro Noel
System Administrator
Delphi Programmer
Forgestik inc.
514-273-2000

I think for minor systems, you can use Delphi 5 ISAPI + Paradox tables,
with no sofisticated SQL queries.

When increasing development, I have used Interbase 5 and it is easy to
install, use, configure and program. That's great for many apps.

SQL Server is a great too, but the cost is greater than others. And I think
Delphi is better integrated with Interbase.

One name for the list: MySQL, not because it is easy etc. (I leave that to
the other respondents) but because of the costs. Oracle, MS SQL, Interbase
etc. charge quite a lot of money for the internet enabled versions of theire
licenses (as you use your web-sites to make money none of the DBMS
manufacturers will find you eligible for a free version I guess).

hth.
Martin

Royalties are a valid point - I have looked at the WIN32 freeware version of
MySQL, but am a little worried at the lack of components to interface MySQL
with Delphi

Maybe the BDE paradox solution suggested will suffice since this is also a
royalty free AND INHOUSE solution

Then again, maybe I should just upsize to the MySQL perl version of DBMan -
since this is closest to the present platform I am using (DBMan without
SQL) - " KEEP IT SIMPLE " so to say.

The main reason I have thought of trying to port to ISAPI:

I have been impressed with the speed of Delphi compiled executables vs other
scripting languages (vbscript) - am I right in saying the DELPHI compiled
ISAPI dll will handle high traffic situations better than PERL uncompiled
ISAPI since it should be quicker?

Robin