How long Oracle plans to support Forms/Reports 6i ?

Question

Hello dear Oracle Forms users/developers,
The "Oracle Forms: Features Obsolescence for Release 9i", which I downloaded from OTN, clearly indicates that the client-server runtime will be obsolete in 9i, and (quote) "users who currently deploy their application in a client-server environment and who wish to upgrade to 9i will have to Web-deploy their application as part of the upgrade process" (page 3). It also indicates that Oracle Graphics will not be shipped with Forms 9i. If someone needs Graphics, then Graphics 6i (not 9i) need to be installed into a separate Oracle_Home...
I have been trying to convince some Oracle product managers for years to continue supporting the runtime environment. Oracle always refused to include the "runtime only" installation option for any flavor of unix (eventhough it was available for windows).
The above news (of the fading away of client-server runtime option) really did upset me.
We have been developing applications with Oracle Forms/Reports/Graphics for the client-server environment as the database frontend to different simulation models. Our forms includes buttons that allows the end-users to download/upload ascii files to the file system/database. We and our customers (including the international users) are very happy with the client-server runtime option and don't want to use the forms server (or the iAS) just to be able to run these complex forms/reports/graphics applications.
Oracle keeps telling people that it will be cheaper to move to iAS and serve the forms via iAS forms services. For small size client-server applications this is absolutely not true. We are an Oracle partner and I have discussed the licensing issues with them and am aware of the deploying costs. Let me tell you couple of things:
1. Oracle forms/reports services included only in the enterprise version of 9iAS, not the standard version.
2. If the end-user is licensed for Oracle database server and has a copy of Forms/Reports Developer 6i, then they can run the client-server application without any extra license (number of users does not apply in this case).
3. Forms/Reports Developer 6i is not a separate product and could be obtained by purchasing iDS (internet Developer Suite) or iAS EE license. iDS is a windows only product and includes designer 6i, Jdeveloper additional to the forms/reports developer 6i. Someone might say, "the end-user might not need all the extra just to be able to run your forms". Answer to that is the cost of purchasing a 2 years license for iDS is almost equal or cheaper than the cost of 2 years named user license (based on the fact that 9iAS EE has a 10 named user minimum requirement). And the end-user can install only the forms/reports part of iDS (given the fact that forms/reports 6i is available for different platforms including solaris - does not have to be windows).
4. This information if from the Oracle Partnership and any Oracle employee which doubts about it should talk to them to verify.
Here are my questions:
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Given all these FACTS (our satisfaction level with the client-server environment with Forms/Reports Developer 6i and the licensing information) I would like to ask to those Oracle employees (or personnel) how they justified the termination of the client-server runtime in Forms 9i?
If the Forms/Reports Developer 6i will be the only (and the last) version that supports client-server runtime environment, how long Oracle is going to support it?
I need to know to decide if we should use the forms/reports in our future projects or not.
Thank you (for reading all this crap) and best regards.
Zafer AKTAN
Oracle DBA/Developer

Answer 1

Question 1
I would like to ask to those Oracle employees (or personnel) how they justified the termination of the client-server runtime in Forms 9i?
This descicion was made from feedback from our customers. Feedback from the Forms Customer Advisory Board and the Oracle Developer Tools Group (ODTUG) indicated that they are 1)in the process of moving their client-server applications to the web, 2)have already moved to the web, 3)are looking at web stategies and 4)this is also the direction that Oracle Applications division is taking.
It is proven that while liscencing for the web may not be cheaper in itself, the total cost of ownership is cheaper with web deployment once you figure in the ease of maintanence, deployment, and configuration.
Question 2
If the Forms/Reports Developer 6i will be the only (and the last) version that supports client-server runtime environment, how long Oracle is going to support it?
Yes, Forms 6i is the last version to support client-server runtime. 6i will be patched through 2006 with extended support through 2008.
Regards,
Candace Stover
Forms Product Management