Appendix B. PL/SQL and Open Source

In this book we’ve concentrated on open source applications for end users (particularly GUI and web-based applications) and on open source server software (such as Apache). However, we’re also starting to see some interesting middleware developments linking open source programs to commercial systems. One of the most fertile areas is that of Oracle PL/SQL. PL/SQL is Oracle’s procedural language based on SQL. It’s a very popular and powerful language used by Oracle Corporation and developers everywhere. This short appendix can’t do justice to all the activity going on today, but we will try to give you the flavor of a few of the most interesting open source developments we’ve seen.

PLNet.org

PLNet is a project inspired by the Perl CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network) project (described briefly in Chapter 2). The goal is to develop and maintain a repository containing a large collection of reusable PL/SQL software and documentation written by and for the global PL/SQL development community. PLNet is the brainchild of Bill Pribyl, coauthor (with Steven Feuerstein) of Oracle PL/SQL Programming, considered by many to be the bible of PL/SQL development.

PLNet is still in a very early stage, but you can watch its development at this site:

http://plnet.org

If you are interested in being part of this exciting project, check out:

http://plnet.sourceforge.net

As Bill points out, if you assume that there are one million PL/SQL programmers in the world, ...

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