Many organisations would be better off using Progress but just
don't know about it, writes Nick Langley
What is it?
Progress is a relational database and development environment,
used mostly by independent software suppliers to build
applications. However, low maintenance and minimal end-user support
mean that it also has a following among companies that want to keep
IT overheads down.
Progress leads the embedded database market, with a 20% share
(Sybase is second with 15%; Oracle seventh with 2%). Embedded
databases are sold as part of applications, rather than as
relational database management systems in their own right.
Unfortunately this means that many organisations that might be
better off with Progress simply do not know about it. As IDC puts
it, "Progress Software is a well-established embedded DBMS
[database management system] supplier, yetÉ is not generally
perceived as a DBMS supplier at all."
IDC describes Progress Version 9.1 as "a DBMS that could well
start to challenge the DBMS leaders in the enterprise arena".
Where did it originate?
The Progress Software Corporation was founded in 1981.
What is it for?
More than 70% of Progress' revenues come via software houses.
There are more than 2,000 of them selling upwards of 5,000 Progress
applications, which are used by 10,000 customer organisations
worldwide.
The independent software supplier sector is particularly
sensitive to the growth of the application service provider (ASP)
model, where customers rent software from a hosting company rather
than buying it outright. Progress Version 9.1B, released last year,
was optimised for the ASP market, with greatly increased
scalability, support for the thin-client model and a move from
proprietary technology to Internet standards.
Progress' Application Service Provider Enablement (Aspen)
programme offers smaller suppliers the technology, services and
alliances they need to make the move to the Web.
What makes it special?
Low cost of ownership. Self-tuning and self-management
capabilities mean suppliers are not lumbered with costly end-user
support, and end-users do not have to employ database
administrators.
How difficult is it?
Progress says that people can be productive with its
English-like 4GL within a couple of months. The most recent
versions support Java and XML development.
Where is it used?
Software houses and their customers. It is also used as a
development platform by Specsavers and Rentokil, among others.
What does it run on?
Windows; Unix, including HP/UX, AIX and Solaris; Linux; and
AS/400.
Are there many jobs?
An Internet job search will give you at least four times as many
hits for Progress as for Oracle.
What's coming up?
Progress has released the source code of its application
development environment under an open source licensing model.
Participants will be able to add functionality, trouble-shoot,
submit patches and promote their own expertise. For more, see the
Progress Open Source Software Exchange (Posse), www.possenet.org.
Rates of pay
Programmer £23,000
Analyst programmer £27,511
Senior analyst programmer £33,915
Source: Computer Weekly/SSP survey
Training
One week's classroom training in Progress programming costs
£1,625. See www.progress.com/worldwide/uk/education for
classroom and self-study courses.