MySQL GUI tools?
Are those tools just for devs and sysadmins, or are they going to be end-user/"cubicle-dweller"-friendly?
I've over the years felt crestfallen when attempting to ditch Lotus Approach for some decade-plus-long projects I've developed, and the MySQL "GUI" tools are just completely, utterly show-stopping from my perspective when thinking as an end-user. I've tried using MySQL as the data back end and Lotus Approach as the front end, but that just introduces needless complexity no sane end-user will put up with if trying to become their own local admin.
For a decade or longer now, I dare think, MySQL squandered the opportunity to make deeper penetration into more offices and IT shops by deliberately or dismissively failing to create for their backend what Lotus bought and extended for the multiple back-end databases.
I fear that, with the end of life of Lotus SmartSuite, or maybe the discontinuation of support for Lotus SmartSuite, that IBM might be one of those unnamed sponsors slipping some money to the MariaDB support, maybe to hedge bets and put an axe in the middle of Oracle's canoe. But, I sure as hell wish that supporters of MariaDB would consider and enable the creation of a Lotus Approach-like front end, upated to year 2013/2014 capabilite, and, and, even make for-pay versions of the interface to ensure some sort of professional support that is not dependent upon sponsors who may have other feelings such as dismissing end users.
I want to convert my Lotus Approach-based "apps" or plausible products to something that would allow for Asian fonts in the db back end, as well as on the GUI, and to allow for italics and bolding of characters within a text field not just the entire text string. I could probably reasonably charge $50-$100 for my pending products, and maybe even manage to make $10-$20 per-sale contributions back to MariaDB or the Open Source Community. But, I cannot do that as long as nobody out there makes for me and my future end users/customers a database front end that is clean and crisp and fairly/reasonably stableas Lotus Approach.
Worse, once SmartSuite is no longer supported by IBM, I wonder what'll become of it. I wonder if they'll finally allow Sue Sloan to buy it off their hands. I don't particularly want to learn Lotus Script, as I don't have the bandwidth to become a developer. Macros and formulas suit me pretty well, and I think my end users of the future who buy an unlocked/modifiable version could learn maros and formulas well enough. I'd probably also offer different licenses to facilitate the continued re-contribution to Open Source, too.
Well, this plaintiff wailing is getting long-winded...