We spend most days up to our necks in Crystal Reports. Our standard platform for many customers has been Windows 2000 Server, SQL Server 2000 and Crystal Reports (and Crystal Enterprise) 10. However we have been getting some push back from customers who are very anti-Microsoft. In general this is just manifested as a refusal to use SQL Server and a preference for Oracle. However in some cases we have received requests for full Linux based solutions. This has been possible but not using Crystal.

Now BO have released Crystal Server XI on Linux, so in theory we will be able to offer solutions buuilt on RHEL (or similar), Oracle and Crystal Server XI. The important thing here is not the technology but the fact that the customer gets more of a choice.

Business Objects Launches BI Platform for Linux

Our usage of Crystal over the past few years has gone from simple embedded SQL queries inside the RPT to major Stored Proc development as a back-end to the RPTs. Whilst we love Crystal for its ability to get things developed quickly and allowing new users to come up to speed almost instantly, it simply does not scale for large data sets and requires more and more back-end implementation.

Our biggest criticism of Crystal is much more basic - since BO took over last yeat, it is impossible to track all of the versions and naming schemes going on. In fact, when we talk to BO staff, they are often unsure themselves. As an example, if you ordered Crystal Enterprise 10, you were looking at somewhere around $7k for a base install. Now, if you ask for the default price on Crystal Enterprise XI (which hilariously they call X I rather than eleven), they quote $70K as that is now the name of the high-end system. You now need to request Crystal Server XI to get the basic functionality. I am convinced this is losing them sales. On a side note, they have probably lost a ton of sales in Ireland as the number they quote on the web-site sends you to a voicemail blackhole from which you never get a call back.

Having said all of that, we still love using the product and generating customer solutions which just work.