tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657389087868432.post3645719404459322089..comments2023-05-29T02:10:01.374-06:00Comments on sworldwatch: talk to me GEAlfred Sawatzkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15845723068853240174noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657389087868432.post-77294052584921962992007-03-29T08:20:00.000-06:002007-03-29T08:20:00.000-06:00Alford,Ge presented a preview of their announcemen...Alford,<BR/>Ge presented a preview of their announcement at a few of their older customer sites.<BR/>This is what I interpreted from the presentation and some of the comments that GE made.<BR/><BR/>GE Smallworld and earlier Smallworld developers had never intended to be in the database business. The smallworld database model was created because nobody at the time could provide what Smallworld needed.<BR/>Now that Oracle (working with GE) has built up most of the required capabilties, GE is eager to ditch the burden of doing both gis and database development.<BR/>There are pros and cons but in the long run database capabilties for Smallworld should improve as all of Oracles database resources will be available.<BR/><BR/>The GE Smallworld target market has always been limited to large utilities. Clients that are large enough to absorb the development costs in tailoring generic GE Smallworld.<BR/>So GE is trying to increase its maket share by focusing on the GDO, EDO type of products. These can be used by smaller companies, (more) out of the box. These require less customisation and in the future will provide an api to Java. This will be used to build applications or extenstions to tack on to the GE Smallworld product. Customising the GE Smallworld product will be limited or done through GE Smallworld develpers. <BR/>Java allows smaller companies to tap into a vast pool of relatively inexpensive developers. Also java provides an industry standard development environment that is well integrated with current technologies. <BR/><BR/>Due to their investment with large customers GE indicated that they won't pull the rug out from under Smallworld 3.x and 4.0. At least not for the forseable future.<BR/><BR/>But for the long term future of Magik developers... I would suggest picking up Java. <BR/>You may never need it but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com