Re: Oracle Development Tools Question

[Quoted] I would just like to add a few clarifications:

1. The fact that fusiness functions cannot be shared is not a showstopper in most peoples minds with respect to enterprise development. I serve on the ODTUG enhancement committee and no one has ever logged that enhancement request. I built many enterprise wide systems without ever being aware of that limitation.
2. You are not hamstrung by using extensions. Upgrading a user extension is no more difficult than upgrading any other part of your repository. Any support or training person who gave you such bad advice is incorrect.

--
Paul Dorsey
coauthor Oracle Designer Handbook
coauthor Oracle Developer Advanced Forms and Reports
both from Oracle Press

Dulcian, Inc.
(212) 595-7223
web address: http://www.dulcian.com
email: pdorsey_at_dulcian.com


Joel Racicot <joel.racicot_at_home.com> wrote in message
news:3887B645.17D52ECD_at_home.com...


> In answer to question 1:


>

> Oracle Developer is an application development tool set, similar in nature

> to VB.  You can create Forms based applications.

>

> Oracle Designer is a modelling and development toolset.  It allows you to

> completely model your company and design & build applications based on

your


> processes and information requirements.  Designer is a very sophisticated


> toolset that has complete generation capabilities.  Having said that,

there


> are certain circumstances when you shouldn't use Designer.  One of these


> circumstances is for true enterprise modelling and enterprise

> architecture.  Because of design decisions on Oracle's part, the object

> that is most likely to be shared and most requires sharing (business

> functions) is the only object that can't be shared.  Also, while Oracle

> advertises the Designer repository as "extensible", their own instructors

> and support people will tell you that travelling down the path of user

> extensions is committing yourself to living with the current version of

> suffering through much pain in upgrades.

>

> Designer can provide full generation and as a result give you fully

> documented, deployable apps if do all your work in Designer (definitely a

> bonus for folks in large companies with regular turnover).  The only

> drawback is that if you make changes outside of Designer, your fully

> documented system can quickly become an semi-documented nightmare.  Change

> management becomes critical.

>

> Question 3:  Designer can generate C++, VB and web-based (PL/SQL-OAS type)

> applications in addition to Oracle Forms & Reports.  As for other

> development products, one of the products we are currently in the process

> of acquiring for web-based intranet developement is Cold Fusion.  I'm sure

> there are many others that can interoperate with an Oracle database.  I

> found Cold Fusion to be extremely easy to use and since it can use native

> SQL*Net or ODBC, it is database and platform independent (very important

in


> my company, where there are two very determined camps, pro-MS and


anti-MS).


>

> I hope this answers some of your questions.  Most likely, it just created


> more, which is usually the case whenever we embark on tool searches.

>

> Joel

>

> epicblue wrote:

>

> > I am new to internet application development.  I am in the process of

> > gathering information on development tools and platforms.  After

> > reviewing the Oracle web site I am still confused as to the differences

> > between their products.

> >

> > 1) What is the difference between the designer and the developer?  Do

> > you need both?  Which product is actually used to create the front end

> > that runs on the web browser?  What about the java based development

> > tools?

> >

> > 2) I understand the difference between a database server and an

> > application server.  However there is an Oracle Database Server and a

> > WebDB.  There is also an Application Server and a Developer Server.

> >

> > 3) Are there competing products that I should look into?  Can I mix and

> > match products from other vendors to do the development?

> >

> > Any info would be greatly appreciated.

> >

> > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

> > Before you buy.

>