Hi, my name is David Peake, product manager for OracleApplication Express. Today I'd like to talk to you about rapid web applicationdevelopment for SMBs. Most small and medium sized businesses use spreadsheetsand personal databases, and these are great, but there are many problems.
Let's say, for example, that you have a forecastingspreadsheet that you send out, or you have some customer information that yousend out. The problem is that many of these people want to send you backupdates and you are left with the problem of having to try and put it all backtogether again into a single file.
A better solution is to use a centrally managed databaseapplication on the web. Instead of sending data, you actually send a URL. Andthose people with rights can actually go and look at the information online.Those same people can actually edit the information directly into the databaseso, therefore, you only have a single source of truth. The database records arealways up to date with the latest information.
So, why don't most companies actually use web applications?Small businesses often believe that it's too costly, difficult, takes forever,and you need a team of experts to complete the job. Oracle Application Expressblows those reasons out of the water. Oracle Application Express is a secure,scalable, and reliable development tool accessed using only a web browser.
So let's have a look at what's in the tool. There's theapplication builder and that's where you actually defined all the componentsthat you are going to see on your web pages. SQL workshop, that's where you canactually have a look at your database objects such as tables, etc. And then youhave utilities for various other features.
The Application Builder uses point and click wizards tocreate pages for things such as reports, forms, and charts.
The SQL Workshop has an object browser which is where youcan actually query and create your tables, has SQL scripts which is where youcan store your actual scripts that you use for manipulating the data, andthere's also a query builder. And the query builder is excellent for those whodon't know SQL very well because you've got a graphical drag-and-dropcapability where you can actually build up complex queries without having toknow how to write SQL.
The Utilities has data load and unload, you can actuallygenerate DDL, and there's also monitoring capabilities.
Oracle Application Express takes full advantage of, and is afree feature within the powerful Oracle database. It even comes in the entrylevel Oracle Database Standard Edition One. So, if you are an SMB looking toreplace your spreadsheets or consolidate your personal databases to the web,Oracle Application Express is the perfect tool for you. It's easy to use. It'salready installed in the database. We even provide you with packagedapplications which you can download free from our websites.
To test drive for yourself, simply got to apex.oracle.com orvisit otn.oracle.com/apex to download the latest release. Thank you very much.
