Oracle Corp is about to set sail on a course where it hopes to find the fresh trade winds that’ll keep it ahead of database competitors like Sybase Inc and Informix Software Inc. Like its UKP1m UK project, the two-ton Wings of Oracle, Admirals Cup racing yacht – which has encountered an unfortunate series of squalls down in the Solent during the Isle of Wight Cowes week sailing regatta – Oracle much needs some better wind to blow its sails. Beginning this December, the firm will embark on a product overhaul and an internal development strategy that’ll continue for most of next year. The emphasis will be on integrating its database and software engineering tools. First over the starting line will be Book Viewer, a new product that’ll have a range of applications for on-line document management and the like. It will be closely followed by a new release of its text retrieval product, developed using the Toolkit II graphical applications software, expected early in 1992. The ability to make its range of products portable across a range of graphical user interface environments is a cornerstone of the new strategy, according to Oracle UK’s Andy Osborne. US trade paper Computer Systems News says a major revision of the Oracle Graphics environment is planned for next March, with the long-awaited version 7.0 of the Oracle database engine due in May. The PL/SQL transaction processing procedural language is due for a re-vamp next May, the paper believes, with an upgrade to the SQL*Forms forms generator based on Toolkit II and supporting multimedia to follow in August. Furthermore, a common code base in Toolkit II and the communications features already present in its software engineering software are expected to tie together Oracle’s product range in a more integrated fashion. Although no-one at Oracle would confirm or deny exact dates – it’s claimed some haven’t been set yet anyway – Osborne agreed that the directions outlined are broadly correct. In addition to its end-user schedule, Oracle is also marking a shift in the way it does internal development work on new products. Previously, inconsistencies have resulted from the use of a variety of development tools across its different product divisions. In turn these have made it difficult to deliver debugged and consistent products to customers, who then struggle to put together their own database applications. Initially, Oracle plans to delay key product upgrades where necessary in an effort to overcome this reputation: an upgrade of Oracle Financials due later this year is now not expected until the middle of 1992, for example. However in future, the firm is to standardise on the use of its own tools for internal development purposes, which it hopes will lead to both greater integration and harmonisation of its software. Our CASE tools are now mature enough to be used internally, claims Osborne. Oracle is also expected to work more with users in an effort to ensure that it delivers products they want to use.
