Crystal Reports

[threaded]

what 'Crystal report' would you chose to buy if you want to handle data from Oracle on a unix-machine? it looks like that Microtulip have one for .NET and Borland sell one for C#builder... Is there an other one?

[Mark Snowdon]

which crystal reports to use ?

Don't. Get something else instead.
I have seen it cursed and hated at several sites.

Have a look at their web site - they bundle/wrap it with anything, but the core product is the same. I suppose it comes down to how much it costs you to get it in the different forms.

Don't Oracle bundle it in with something as well - I am sure they used to.

[AtW]

Re: which crystal reports to use ?

they were bought by Business Objects. I am actually curious on Crystal Reports thinking to use it in my .NET app, but I suspect that footprint is just too big to stomach

[DimPrawn]

Re: which crystal reports to use ?

Warning!

Crystal reports is @#%$!

Bloated, massively bug ridden, and HUGELY expensive to license.

When you buy Visual Studio .NET, you get Crystal reports bundled with it. Great you think. Except what you are getting is a trial license version (but does NOT say this on the VS.NET box).

You get 5 end user licenses for *free*. i.e. five named end users can use your @#%$, buggy, slow and difficult to deploy reports.

If you want to do a web based reporting system for a client, you need an enterprise license for Crystal reports. Cost is roughly the same as a brand new Ferrari. I kid you not.

Example, each processor on the web server must have a license (see https://secure.businessobjects.com/product_details2.asp?catalog_name=CD&category_name =.Net%20Crystal%20Reports). We hade a web farm with 8 processors in each box and 4 machines in the web farm. This gives 32 licenses. Each license costs $5,000 so that would have been $160,000 to offer a few simple reports to a large customer base. Incredible!

Steer clear of Crystal AT ALL COSTS!

They make M$ look like Mother Terresa.


Look at ActiveReports by Data Dynamics or anything but not Xtal.

You have been warned!

[AtW]

Re: which crystal reports to use ?

cheers Dim, your words are in line with what I heard and expected. Must say I expected royalty free distribution of apps with bundled reports

I think I will get some simple script language that will generate HTML to be available to anyone with browser via built-in web server in my app. Should be light weight and accessible.

in .NET too

[EddieC]

Re: which crystal reports to use ?

I can't really add anything that hasn't already been said, but it is worth repeating that IMHO Crystal Reports is bug riddden, over priced and fantastically expensive.

[AtW]

Re: which crystal reports to use ?

ActiveReports look good - pretty cheap too, well relatively.