mono/doc/firebird

* Firebird and Interbase Data Provider

<ul>
	<li>Does not exist in Mono, but is a separate project</li>
	
	<li><a href="http://firebird.sourceforge.net/index.php">Firebird Relational Database</a> is 
	an independent project which uses source code based on the Interbase source code released
	by Borland under the Interbase Public License</li>
	
	<li>Both the Firebird Relational Database and the Firebird .NET Data Provider can be
	downloaded from <a href="http://sourceforge.net/projects/firebird/firebird">here</a></li>
	
	<li>The Firebird .NET Data provider has been made
 available by Carlos Guzmán Álvarez (aka "Carlos G.A."), who has also made a
 number of contributions to the OdbcJdbc code</li>
	
</ul>

* Current Status

<ul>
	<li>Currently, it is able to connect to Firebird and Interbase databases 
	   and execute commands</li>
	   
	<li>The new data
        provider/driver is written in C# and provides a high-performance native
        implementation of the GDS32/API functions. This means that .Net developers
        will be able to access Firebird databases without the need of Firebird
        client install</li>
 
    <li>In support of the new module, a new mailing list
        <a href="http://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/firebird-net-provider">firebird-net-provider</a> has 
        been created. Please use this list for any 
        questions that you may have about the provider</li>       
    
	<li>Stuff that works:
		<ul>
			<li>Currently implemented classes: 
					<ul>
					<li>Connection and Connection Pooling</li> 
					<li>Command</li>
					<li>Transaction</li>
					<li>CommandBuilder</li>
					<li>DataAdapter</li>
					<li>DataReader</li>
					<li>Error</li>
					<li>ErrorCollection</li>
					<li>Exception</li>
					<li>Parameter</li>
					<li>ParameterCollection</li>
					<li>Transaction</li>
					</ul>
			</li>		
        </ul>
	</li>
 
</ul>   
   
* Action Plan

<ul>
	<li>Bug fixing</li>
	<li>Improving API reference documentation</li>
	<li>Full testing with Firebird 1.5</li>
	<li>Test with Mono ( http://www.go-mono.com )
		<ul>
			<li>Status  : Started</li>
		</ul>
	</li>
	
	<li>Support for array datatype
		<ul>
		<li>Status  : Started</li>
		<li>Comments: See Interbase API reference documentation</li>
		<li>Add new file FbArray.cs for array fields management</li>
		</ul>
	</li>

	<li>Support for Stored Procs calls that have returns values
		<ul>
		<li>Status  : Pending.</li>
		<li>Comments: Modify the isc_dsql_prepare method of GDS implementation for
			allow to return the output parameters.</li>
		</ul>
	</li>
	
	<li>Implementation of FbClientPermission and FbClientPermissionAttribute
		<ul>
		<li>Status  : Pending</li>
		<li>Comments: See if these are really needed for Firebird</li>
		</ul>
	</li>

	<li>Improve Logger implementation
		<ul>
			<li>Status: Pending</li>
		</ul>
	</li>

</ul>