OliBye_blogentry_240805_1

OmniBase? is now free (unless you work with oil or guns)

• http://www.gorisek.com/WikiDoc/WikiPage?action=reload&page=OmniBase+downloads&lang=English

Whilst fiddling about preparing the Dolphin version of MockObjects I spotted a post on the comp.land.smalltalk.dolphin group about OmniBase?. I've tried OmniBase? before, and it seem to work although I had a little trouble with session management. Orphans in my image said I was still connected? Anyway this is great news. Ofcourse GOODS is free, and has the advantage that different platforms (C++, Java and various smalltalks) can connect to the same server.

I feel that the maturity argument of OODBMS is no longer valid. I think that remains is a skills gap.

1. Business Analysts who don't program still don't really get objects, I suspect they think in a relational way. I know many who still think in files and columns and don't hold with new technology like SQL ;-)
2. Operations. Big business has a huge investment in legacy systems that use RDBMS.

If Gemstone made their GemFire? product available for free download I think that might get things going. I now our JPMC Kapital group were looking at it to speed up their access to legacy RDBMS databases. Non of the marketing info for GemFire? mentions Smalltalk, I think they know there is a stigma attached. Many people still think Smalltalk is for kids.

Lets hope the current move away from Java towards late bound scripting languages also loosens our thinking with regard to persistence.