Re: Is Oracle Forms worth sticking with anymore

I was on a course given by Steven Feuerstein about PL/SQL and 9i, and although different products the point he made will apply to Forms. Basically, according to SF, there is a battle going on within Oracle between the Johnnie Java's and PL/SQL people, both sides insisting that Oracle strategy should centre on their particular language. It doesn't take much to see the same will be happening with Forms and Java.

In my opinion, having looked at 9iAS and used Forms since v2.3, I think having to install the monstrous 9iAS on server to deliver good old forms is ridiculous. Whilst installing 9iAS I looked at the memory usage of the processes running and was shocked to see that the 10 java processes were 76Mb in size each.

Now, I had reason to complain about some aspects of client-server forms, but I think 9i really is bad news. I have a fairly advanced client server application I use and it always provides me with a good benchmark when new versions come out. In client server the application is quick, stable and fairly slick. Put it on a web forms server and ....... go for a walk, a long walk. It is pathetic.

Running client server, the forms process on Win2000 takes up around 13Mb of memory, run as a web form within IE - 20Mb.

The more I look into it, the more I am inclined to agree with a respected colleague who said, "Java is a language invented to solve a problem that doesn't exist". I really am disgruntled at the way these java bods are saying we must go to Java, extolling the virtues of reuse this and object model that and blah this and that, but just what has Java done for us that good designers and developers couldn't do before. A good team of developers will produce a good system in whatever language - the stuff I've seen from the Java generation is pitiful.

I applaud the companies who stick to their guns and say "it ain't broke, so why change it", and show 2 fingers up at the fashion gurus in IT. What people like Oracle don't realise is that the SME's who are looking to move up to Oracle from Mickey Mouse Access systems and all ARE being put off by what they see as the never ending spiral of upgrade and migration that large companies have to contend with.

I could be wrong, but I can't ignore what I see with my own eyes.

In message <3de6c308$1_at_news.userve.net>, rolospy <rolospy_at_rolospy.com.zz> writes
>Are Oracle trying to get people onto JDeveloper rather than Oracle Forms
>nowadays.
>
>Is there a roadmap for Forms anymore. There must be thousands of companies
>with applications written using Forms yet I get the impression that it's old
>hat and Java is what Oracle is pushing now.
>
>
Received on Sun Dec 01 2002 - 18:55:01 CET