[dba-Tech] Looking for a web based app that does these things

[Gustav Brock]

Hi Shamil

Yes, it is more or less another approach to "visual programming". I do recall ObjectVision which was very close to this concept, though I never found a serious use for it.

Why do you think the missing public access to PowerApps is a temporary limitation? I haven't seen any note on this. But if removed, it will certainly raise the value of these apps.

/gustav

________________________________________
Fra: dba-Tech <dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com> på vegne af Salakhetdinov Shamil <mcp2004 at mail.ru>
Sendt: 3. september 2016 01:14:02
Til: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Emne: Re: [dba-Tech] Looking for a web based app that does these things

Hi Gustav --

Thank you for your note/link on MS power apps. Using MS Edge browser with  https://web.powerapps.com/#/home  I have also created the sample powerapp from the tutorial you referred and it worked.

I have tried the sample powerapp of my Win10 Phone (Lumia 950) - it failed to show anything more than a blank screen (after proper authentication using my credentials), and neither sample poweapps from MS did work on Win10 Ohone.

Yes, as you noted the powerapps cannot currently be shared with external users but this seems to be a temporary limitation.

The whole powerapps concept seems to be a 'déjà' vue' one implemented using the modern technologies.
Here it is in historical perspective to decide for oneself is it a "good old dream" finally come true or a "pipe dream" ("Mythical Man-Month, No Silver Bullet, Refired", Part 17 (http://tinyurl.com/jxaopaj)):

1. Year 1975, National CSS, Inc.'s, Nomad: Wikipedia: Nomad software
http://tinyurl.com/zgz2buc
"Tools like Nomad made end-users self-sufficient: If they had discretionary budgets, and could get the necessary raw data from their MIS departments, then they could solve their own information problems. Many users were content to answer seemingly simple aggregate reporting questions that baffled the MIS departments of the day – like "rank departments by profitability." Other end-users went beyond basic reporting to build large, mission-critical applications, either by learning the necessary skills, or by hiring their own technicians who didn't report through the MIS hierarchy."
2. Year 1981, Martin, James: Application Development Without Programmers. Prentice-Hall, 1981. ISBN 0-13-038943-9. [Reported to include "many fine examples of NOMAD."]
http://tinyurl.com/hbz9ngd
"The number of programmers available per computer is shrinking so fast that most computers in the future must be put to work at least in part without programmers. In this book a wide spectrum of methods is described. Each has its place, and the ability to apply the right approach to each task becomes an essential new DP skill."
3. Year 1992, Borland, ObjectVision
http://tinyurl.com/zzr28mc
"An ObjectVision application is composed by forms designed in a graphic way that contains objects and events to provide interactivity. ObjectVision applications also can interact with databases using multiple engines, like Paradox and dBase. A finished project is saved as an OVD file, that is executed by a interpreted runtime that can be freely distributed."

4. Year 2016, Microsoft Power Apps: Apps that mean business
http://tinyurl.com/z54uazg
"When users and technology connect, problems get solved. Together, create the custom apps that your business needs." Thank you.

-- Shamil


>Friday, September  2, 2016 6:30 PM +03:00 from Gustav Brock <gustav at cactus.dk>:
>
>Hi John et al
>
>I just finished the get-started tutorial here for an app from scratch:
>
>https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/tutorials/get-started-create-from-blank/
>
>It doesn't take long and it works!
>
>A major limitation seems to be, that the created apps are only accessible from within your organization, thus not for public access, not even invited access.
>
>/gustav
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