The Database World and Client/Server World expositions were held concurrently at McCormick Place, Chicago, on December 8-10, 1993. These expositions focused on database products, object oriented technologies, client/server applications, network management, connectivity and communication technologies. These emerging technologies will become very useful when developing and implementing multimedia based, enterprise wide, training, management and marketing systems.

The vast amount of information that needs to be processed in these applications requires companies to develop mission critical applications in a prompt, successful and efficient manner. With these larger projects, new products which allow better team application development ("groupware") are becoming more available. Since these applications take considerable time and resources to develop (rarely on time and on budget) the emerging technology of object oriented (OO) programming looks quite promising. The languages used in OO development are generally C++ and Smalltalk. Several vendors are developing specialized "code-free" visual programming environments for object oriented applications while another is using COBOL to perform calculations.

Several companies are creating software and training videos, along with seminars to assist developers in the proper way to develop graphical user interfaces. These products allow the graphical user interface developer to create screens and menus which improve the user's productivity rather than frustrate the user.

True cross-platform application development packages are available that can generate applications on PCs, Macs or RISC based workstations. This allows the developer to have to write and maintain only one version of the application.

Copyright © 1994 Rick Smith All rights reserved.