what so what? If you don't care about PHP, that's fine. Just don't read it, there's plenty of news about Apple Swift right here on HN. But some of us actually care or have to care...
The "Client" is database drivers for different environments. JDBC, OCBC, ODBO, Python. Unfortunately, drivers only exist for Windows and Linux - but the JDBC driver is pure Java, so if you want to code Java against HANA from a Mac, you can do it (simply download any Client package, unzip and use the jgdbc.jar as JDBC driver.
The best choice is not even in the package: node.js drivers for HANA. Easiest way to get is
npm install hdb
Full (!) Open Source, https://github.com/SAP/node-hdb
Fully agree with your comment about independent ecosystem. I'm not officially related anymore, but still pushing internally.
HANA (even HANA One) is too expensive, there's not obvious go-to-market route for smaller shops and all that information is purely curated hence hard to navigate. Well, SAP is just beginning to open up, so call it beginners mistakes. And hope we'll learn fast...
I am sure. Disclaimer: I work for SAP and I am the one who originally created those amazon AMIs about two years ago. Meanwhile I got re-org'd into some other group (as happens frequently at big companies) but I still use it myself. I'll clarify things on our forums (not that anyone would find it there...)
I use it on Mac every day. The regi client is not required on the Mac version and it works just fine. I don't understand how you can make claims without even trying
I don't know what you paid $500 for. The hackathon was free. Zero. $0. Early on they charged $99 for a developer pass, but they reimbursed me and my team members.