Revolution and the Web, feedback wanted, Part 1 of 3

[Brian Yennie]

> I'll say it again as far as them being "similar".  1) Graphical form
> editor - Morfik only.  2) PDF report output - Morfik only (this is a
> bit unfair since you can't draw the forms in GWT anyway, but it's a
> very neat trick for me).  3) Languages - GWT is Java only, Morfik is
> Java, C#, Basic, and Pascal, and if I have my way some xTalk
> variation, but who am I? 4) Tightly integrated database design,
> interaction, and output - Morfik only.  5) Tightly integrated web
> server - Morfik only. 6) Cost - GWT - free as in beer, Morfik - Free
> for non-commercial use, $17xx until sometime (next March?), then
> $5,000 (at least that's what they're saying right now)

No doubt they have different features. I'm just saying they are  
targeting the same market. I'm sure GWT has some features that Morfik  
doesn't as well, but maybe the distinction is that GWT is in fact  
more of a low-level tool then Morfik which is more RAD-oriented. I  
can buy that.

> As far as threatening suit, I'm relatively sure that Linux isn't very
> similar to Windoze, regardless of what you think of KDE or Gnome, yet
> M$ is claiming that Linux incorporates Windoze IP.  How many suits
> have there been over iPods and other music players?  Do you really
> think those competitors are the same thing?

I'm just commenting on the speculation that Google actually either a)  
stole their IP, or actually b) licensed the technology directly. Hey  
it's all speculation. All that is for sure is that Morfik is trying  
to patent their JWT technology, and much of the tech community sees  
it as frivolous and possibly desperate to keep Google out of the game.

Neither of use know if there actually will be any lawsuits, or what  
relation exactly the technology has. But obviously a lot of people DO  
see them as competitors with similar technology. Are you telling me  
now that iPods and other MP3 players aren't actually similar products?

> The sales pitch is simpler than the reality.  You CAN tie it all
> together.  However, you also have the option of using external data
> sources (that's discussed in the Professional literature, I believe),
> or cranking a server farm.  The last one was detailed on somebody's
> web site recently.  Salesforce?  I don't remember whose.

Sounds good. After much digging, you can find some vague references  
on the site to Linux and MacOS options in the future. Looks to me  
like Morfik really needs to improve the information on their site.  
It's nearly impossible to find any clear information, or else I'm  
just blind. And I'm not the only one- there are references all over  
the net to people turned off by the Windows-only appearance.

So, the truth does sound much better to me. Totally improves my view  
of the product. If you're in their program, you might mention that  
people are having trouble figuring this stuff out from their website.  
Too many buzz words and no straight information!

Regards,
Brian