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Oracle MetaLink runs Oracle HTML DB

As John Scott pointed out, Oracle MetaLink is now running Oracle HTML DB.

This is a major step for Oracle HTML DB's credibility, as Oracle itself made the conscious decision to re-write one of its most mission critical customer-facing systems in Oracle HTML DB over any and all other technologies.

Comments

Colin Sheppard said…
Wow! How come the Oracle HTML DB Team did not boast that first?

I am not all that surprised the HTML DB has surplanted Oracle Portal

I wonder if Oracle will make the Source Code for the Metalink application publically available?
December 19, 2005 at 3:39 AM
Anonymous said…
why would oracle want to publish its own code?
December 19, 2005 at 5:21 AM
Scott said…
Wow! How come the Oracle HTML DB Team did not boast that first?

Not sure, you'd have to ask them. :)

I am not all that surprised the HTML DB has surplanted Oracle Portal

MetaLink was never written in Portal it used to be hand-coded PL/SQL.

I wonder if Oracle will make the Source Code for the Metalink application publically available?

I would highly doubt that, as MetaLink is a proprietary application which Oracle spent a lot of time & money to develop in order to provide a key differentiator for their customers. Just because its in HTML DB is not enough reason to release the source code.

Of course, I no longer work there, and this is purely my speculation...

Thanks,

- Scott -
December 19, 2005 at 7:28 AM
Colin Sheppard said…
I am not all that surprised the HTML DB has surplanted Oracle Portal

MetaLink was never written in Portal it used to be hand-coded PL/SQL.


Oops, I thought it was!

If Oracle was contemplating release asktom as a HTML DB Studio application, I thought they might do the same with Metalink. I nice solid application would be great to push HTML DB with. Perhaps you can ask? ("If you don't ask, you don't get!")
December 19, 2005 at 10:06 AM
Anonymous said…
Is Metalink currently down, or is just me?

Any connection to America waking up?
December 19, 2005 at 10:10 AM
Anonymous said…
Oops, I thought it was!

well you would be wrong. Assuming things just doesnt work sometimes.

Still dont see whay Oracle releasing code for metalink would be good. What wold anyone gain from it. It is a propietary and Oracle specific app
December 19, 2005 at 10:20 AM
Colin Sheppard said…
There are features like for example, forums/tickets that they have inside that would be useful for others to adapt.
December 19, 2005 at 10:35 AM
Anonymous said…
At the risk of playing Devils Advocate, I'd say that the strength of both AskTom and Metalink isn't the application "per se", but the content behind it.

I don't think there would be a huge benefit in Oracle releasing the code for Metalink (nor really the AskTom code), since they're both pretty specialised applications and given the speed of development possible with HTMLDB it would almost be faster/easier to write a new application than to try and "bend" an existing one to fit the new purpose.
December 19, 2005 at 10:59 AM
Colin Sheppard said…
I just would like it to see how they do it. In some parts I might be interest in how they implement the design. In other parts I might be interested in knowing what style the might have used say in using stored procedures vs putting logic onto the page itself.

I think its really a harmless thing to do. I don't think there is any competitive advantage they would lose by disclosing it.
December 19, 2005 at 11:18 AM
Scott said…
If Oracle was contemplating release asktom as a HTML DB Studio application, I thought they might do the same with Metalink. I nice solid application would be great to push HTML DB with. Perhaps you can ask? ("If you don't ask, you don't get!")

AskTom & MetaLink are two very different things. AskTom makes Oracle no money (directly) and costs little. It is run by one person and a part-time DBA. If it goes down, people can do little more than complain until it's restored.

MetaLink, on the other hand, is a critical system which customers pay lots of money for the privilege of using. It has a team of developers, 24/7/365 support, etc. Oracle has no reason (nor intention, I suspect) to release this code to the public for a variety of reasons.

I wouldn't even know who to ask, and trust me - the answer will 100% be no, so I'm not going to waste any time trying to research that.

Thanks,

- Scott -
December 19, 2005 at 1:57 PM
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