The SQL Access Group has published its first three specifications, which set guidelines for database interoperability and communication, after more than three years in development (CI No 2,148). The lack of SQL Access Group documentation has caused customer and database vendors a significant amount of frustration and in a number of cases has forced them to turn to alternatives, such as IBM Corp’s Distributed Relational Data Architecture. According to SQL Access Group chairman Jeff Balboni, the organisation is aware of the discontentment and hopes to soothe disappointment with the publication of these first few specifications. However documentation on further specifications are not scheduled for release for another 18 months or so. The SQL Access Group will sell the Call Level Interface, a high level language application programming interface for C and Cobol, which defines a set of calls for interfacing to a variety SQL implementations. It is priced at $70. Other specifications include the SQL Access Group’s own implementation of Structured Query Language, which costs $70; and Remote Data Access, which defines communications between SQL Access Group-compliant clients and remote servers, and that is priced at $62.
