Free Databases

A couple of database related news items.

Firstly:

>VistaDB 2.1 database for .NET has been released
>This 2.1 update includes over 60 improvements, including new support for .NET 2.0 and Visual Studio .NET 2005.
>VistaDB is a small-footprint, embedded SQL database alternative to Jet/Access, MSDE and SQL Server Express 2005 that enables developers to build .NET 1.1 and .NET 2.0 applications.
>Features SQL-92 support, small 500KB embedded footprint, free 2-User VistaDB Server for remote TCP/IP data access, royalty free distribution for both embedded and server, Copy ‘n Go! deployment, managed ADO.NET Provider, data management and data migration tools.
>Free trial is available for download.
> – [Learn more about VistaDB](http://www.vistadb.net/overview.asp?ref=blogger)
> – [Repost this to your blog and receive a FREE copy of VistaDB 2.1!](http://www.vistadb.net/blogoffer.asp?ref=blogger)

Secondly:

[Oracle are soon to be releasing a free ‘xpress’ edition of Oracle 10g](http://news.com.com/Oracle+to+offer+free+database/2100-1012_3-5920796.html).

[Its currently available as a beta](http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/xe/index.html).

We use Oracle a lot more recently here at work (previously been all SQL Server) so this is good for me as I can probably get an oracle database up at home and start fiddlying properly. This still looks like a reaction to [SQL Server 2005 Express](http://www.microsoft.com/sql/express/default.mspx) edition. Its not really going to compete in the Linux hosted arena against [MySql](http://www.mysql.org) as it can only cope with 4GB of user data, 1GB of RAM, only uses a single processor and only one instance can run on a box. Most mulithosting environments are probably going to break at least 1, if not all 4 of these requirements (a standard multi-hosting box is at least Dual processor with in excess of 1GB of memory).