Why Not Type-4 Thin Driver Available for .NET?
Are there plans to provide a type-4 thin-client driver for .NET that does not require the user to install Oracle client software? This is really important for shipping client-side windows forms applications which need to embed the driver and connect directly to Oracle database servers. Microsoft is including a free type-4 driver for SQL Server, and the lack of a free driver for Oracle will cost Oracle database sales. DataDirect just released a thin-client driver of this type, but is charging $150 per-desktop license fee (http://www.datadirect-technologies.com/products/dotnet/dotnetindex.asp).
It should not be that difficult for Oracle to port the jdk1.1 version of their thin-client type-4 java driver to J# (jdk1.1.4 compatible) so that it can be used for .NET.
Jonathan