I'm biassed - I've been working with Informix since 1986, and for Informix since 1990.
I think there is an ongoing future for Informix. Subject to the normal vagaries of predicting the future, and allowing for extra uncertainty because of the current economic conditions, I still expect to be working on or with Informix in 5 years; I think I'll probably be doing so in 10 years.
However, it is worth knowing about more than one DBMS, just as it is worth knowing about more than one operating system and worth knowing more than one programming language. Therefore, I certainly couldn't fault you for also learning about other DBMS.
KillingMichael makes an interesting point about popularity, rates and travel. There is likely to be some correlation. It also depends on what sort of job you are after - whether you're looking for contracting work with regular to frequent changes of job, or whether you are looking for more stable employment.
Which other DBMS to learn is a complex decision. I'm not sure whether SQLite and GoogleAppEngine are likely to have sufficiently few developers that you can get a jump ahead of the other people.
1: Pick what you like better. As there is a future for Informix, Oracle and MySQL. And, the best futures come from working in/with tools you love.
2: A general rule of thumb: if you work in less "popular" tools, then your rates go up BUT so does your travel.
3: [IMHO] However: If you're willing dive in head deep into something to master it, my personal recommendation would be to select something newer. Like: SQLite, GoogleAppEngine, etc. Something where you can get ahead of the other 100,000 or so other people that already have that particular skill set.
Just for the record - I know of companies that are having to employ people around the world to work remotely because they cannot find local or even national people with excellent local Informix skills.
There are very few new applications being developed around IDS - at least partly because IBM see it as legacy and do not promote it, even though they continue to develop it, a little.
And because there are very few new applications being developed using IDS (and more being ported to Oracle etc) very few people are skilling up on it. So as the previous posters said - Do it if you really want to, but avoid putting all your eggs is one basket - and be prepared to travel or work remotely.
What I am missing it what area of Informix you are working with. Informix as a DBA/Admin, or Informix as a software developer. If the latter I would say move on. I have been a Informix Developer for 12 years using 4GL (and SPL) and no one wants to develop in these anymore. I am retraining over to Oracle. That said, there is no reason Informix as a database server does not have a future. Problem is it is viewed as a legacy system (and likely is) if you have one. Reason it's not up there anymore is because IBM suck at marketing. And there approach to replacing it's primary language 4GL was too "buy" Genero which is just a pretty face wrapped around the old 4GL language. Compare that to Oracle with Java. Or SQL Server and C#. "Informix and 4gl/Genero" hmm. Even as a developer of it id never go there as a business. So how do they expect anyone else to who most haven't even heard of Informix. They need to get in bed with a real contender language and do some real marketing to get Informix taken serious as a DB server, as I think it is up there and id choose it over MS Server.
Paul@ If you know companies needing Informix developers, I'll happily put my Oracle career on hold! ;)
发布评论
评论（4）
我有偏见——我从 1986 年就开始使用 Informix，从 1990 年就开始使用 Informix。
我认为 Informix 有着持续的未来。 受预测未来的正常变幻莫测的影响，并考虑到当前经济状况带来的额外不确定性，我仍然希望在 5 年内从事 Informix 工作或使用 Informix； 我想十年后我可能会这么做。
然而，值得了解不止一种 DBMS，就像值得了解不止一种操作系统和不止一种编程语言一样。 因此，我当然不能责怪您还学习其他 DBMS。
《KillingMichael》对受欢迎程度、价格和旅行提出了一个有趣的观点。 可能存在某种相关性。 它还取决于您想要什么样的工作 - 您是否正在寻找定期或频繁更换工作的承包工作，或者您是否正在寻找更稳定的工作。
学习哪种其他 DBMS 是一个复杂的决定。 我不确定 SQLite 和 GoogleAppEngine 的开发人员是否足够少，以至于您可以领先于其他人。
I'm biassed - I've been working with Informix since 1986, and for Informix since 1990.
I think there is an ongoing future for Informix. Subject to the normal vagaries of predicting the future, and allowing for extra uncertainty because of the current economic conditions, I still expect to be working on or with Informix in 5 years; I think I'll probably be doing so in 10 years.
However, it is worth knowing about more than one DBMS, just as it is worth knowing about more than one operating system and worth knowing more than one programming language. Therefore, I certainly couldn't fault you for also learning about other DBMS.
KillingMichael makes an interesting point about popularity, rates and travel. There is likely to be some correlation. It also depends on what sort of job you are after - whether you're looking for contracting work with regular to frequent changes of job, or whether you are looking for more stable employment.
Which other DBMS to learn is a complex decision. I'm not sure whether SQLite and GoogleAppEngine are likely to have sufficiently few developers that you can get a jump ahead of the other people.
既然你征求建议:)
1：选择你更喜欢的。 因为 Informix、Oracle 和 MySQL 都有未来。 而且，最好的未来来自于使用您喜欢的工具。
2：一般经验法则：如果您使用不太“流行”的工具工作，那么您的费率会上涨，但您的旅行也会上涨。
3：[恕我直言]但是：如果您愿意深入研究某些东西来掌握它，我个人的建议是选择更新的东西。 例如：SQLite、GoogleAppEngine 等。您可以领先于其他 100,000 名左右已经拥有该特定技能的人。
Since you asked for advice :)
1: Pick what you like better. As there is a future for Informix, Oracle and MySQL. And, the best futures come from working in/with tools you love.
2: A general rule of thumb: if you work in less "popular" tools, then your rates go up BUT so does your travel.
3: [IMHO] However: If you're willing dive in head deep into something to master it, my personal recommendation would be to select something newer. Like: SQLite, GoogleAppEngine, etc. Something where you can get ahead of the other 100,000 or so other people that already have that particular skill set.
仅供记录 - 我知道有些公司不得不雇用世界各地的人员进行远程工作，因为他们无法找到具有出色本地 Informix 技能的本地人员甚至本国人员。
围绕 IDS 开发的新应用程序很少 - 至少部分是因为 IBM 将其视为遗留物并且不推广它，尽管他们继续开发它，但有一点。
而且由于使用 IDS 开发的新应用程序非常少（更多的应用程序被移植到 Oracle 等），因此很少有人掌握它的技能。 因此，正如之前的海报所说，如果你真的愿意，就这样做，但要避免把所有鸡蛋放在一个篮子里，并做好远程旅行或工作的准备。
Just for the record - I know of companies that are having to employ people around the world to work remotely because they cannot find local or even national people with excellent local Informix skills.
There are very few new applications being developed around IDS - at least partly because IBM see it as legacy and do not promote it, even though they continue to develop it, a little.
And because there are very few new applications being developed using IDS (and more being ported to Oracle etc) very few people are skilling up on it. So as the previous posters said - Do it if you really want to, but avoid putting all your eggs is one basket - and be prepared to travel or work remotely.
我缺少的是您正在使用 Informix 的哪个领域。 Informix 作为 DBA/管理员，或 Informix 作为软件开发人员。 如果是后者我会说继续前进。 我使用 4GL（和 SPL）担任 Informix 开发人员已经有 12 年了，没有人愿意再使用这些进行开发。 我正在接受 Oracle 的再培训。 也就是说，Informix 作为数据库服务器没有理由没有未来。 问题是，如果您有的话，它会被视为遗留系统（而且很可能是）。 它不再名列前茅的原因是IBM 在营销方面很糟糕。 替换其主要语言 4GL 的方法过于“购买”Genero，它只是旧的 4GL 语言的漂亮面孔。 将其与 Oracle 与 Java 进行比较。 或者 SQL Server 和 C#。 “Informix 和 4gl/Genero”嗯。 即使作为它的开发人员，我也从来没有作为企业去那里。 那么他们如何期望其他大多数甚至没有听说过 Informix 的人呢？ 他们需要与真正的竞争语言合作，并进行一些真正的营销，以使 Informix 作为数据库服务器得到认真对待，因为我认为它是最优秀的，并且我会选择它而不是 MS Server。
Paul@ 如果您知道需要 Informix 开发人员的公司，我会很乐意暂停我的 Oracle 职业生涯！ ;)
What I am missing it what area of Informix you are working with. Informix as a DBA/Admin, or Informix as a software developer. If the latter I would say move on. I have been a Informix Developer for 12 years using 4GL (and SPL) and no one wants to develop in these anymore. I am retraining over to Oracle. That said, there is no reason Informix as a database server does not have a future. Problem is it is viewed as a legacy system (and likely is) if you have one. Reason it's not up there anymore is because IBM suck at marketing. And there approach to replacing it's primary language 4GL was too "buy" Genero which is just a pretty face wrapped around the old 4GL language. Compare that to Oracle with Java. Or SQL Server and C#. "Informix and 4gl/Genero" hmm. Even as a developer of it id never go there as a business. So how do they expect anyone else to who most haven't even heard of Informix. They need to get in bed with a real contender language and do some real marketing to get Informix taken serious as a DB server, as I think it is up there and id choose it over MS Server.
Paul@ If you know companies needing Informix developers, I'll happily put my Oracle career on hold! ;)