Database Software

Spatialites,

GeoRaptor broke into the Oracle Spatial world with a bang when Matic Petek created (around 6 years ago) the first spatial extension for SQL Developer 1.0
during its beta program when SQL Developer was code named Raptor. Hence the name: GeoRaptor.

GeoRaptor 1.0 worked well until SQL Developer 1.1 was released with changes to the extension API that made the original GeoRaptor fail in some situations.

All efforts to find Matic Petek to correct the original extension failed: Matic Petek has disappeared and has not been heard from since.

People, like myself and other members of the new GeoRaptor team, use SQL Developer as their main tool for working with the Oracle database and we felt frustrated
that we could not find Matic, join his GeoRaptor team and help him develop the extension. Finally we were able to access the source code about two years ago and
recommenced development. While our efforts are not perfect, we have been able to resurrect GeoRaptor, extend its functionality and so make it a useful tool for
users of Oracle Spatial and SQL Developer.

We are proud of what we have achieved.

However, we are at another cross road.

Oracle themselves, with version 3.0 of SQL Developer have released their own spatial extension and intend to develop theirs to include GeoRaptor functionality.

While we welcome this, we have asked them if any sort of joint development might be possible to stop any confusion that would result from having two extensions.
We have not been successful having those requests result in discussions, meetings or any joint planning. With SQL Developer 3.1 EAs now coming out we feel we
must now press you, dear users, to let us know what you think we should do. To that end we have created the GeoRaptor KwikSurvey - http://www.kwiksurveys.com/online-survey.php?surveyID=HHHMFN_2befd07f ,
which I now invite you to take.

In addition, this survey asks about your usage and willingness to be involved in the project. We know many, many people have downloaded
GeoRaptor and use it every day but we get very, very little feedback on our GeoRaptor Sourceforge site or via other methods (e.g., this
forum or via email) letting us know whether our efforts are worthwhile. We know we need to improve stability, bugs, functionality,
internationalization, and documentation but we have insufficient people willing to donate some time to documentation, development,
testing, web administration etc.

Please take this survey and help us help you.

regards
Simon

Edited by: sgreener on Dec 14, 2011 11:07 AM