Google Apps desupport "old" browsers

I just get an email of Google which was interesting to say the least... and I wish I could tell the people we develop Oracle APEX apps for the same! Developing web applications that are browser compliant (especially older browsers) is just taking so much time! It would be really nice if it was common to only need to support the last 3 versions.

Here is the email:

Beginning on August 1, 2011, Google Apps support for the following browsers versions will be DISCONTINUED:

- Microsoft Internet Explorer 7

- Mozilla Firefox 3.5

- Apple Safari 3

After August 1, you may have trouble using certain features in Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk, Google Docs and Google Sites with these older browsers, and eventually these apps may stop working entirely.

WHY THE CHANGE?

To give users the best experience with Google Apps, we need the capabilities of modern browsers to deliver features such as desktop notifications for Gmail and drag-and-drop file upload in Google Docs.

For this reason, beginning August 1, 2011, Google Apps will support the current and previous major releases of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari on a rolling basis. Each time a new version is released, we’ll begin supporting that version and stop supporting the third-oldest version.

I couldn't agree more ;-)

Ready for the Weekly APEX QUIZ?

With the growing popularity and usage of Oracle Application Express, we are very excited to announce a new weekly Oracle APEX quiz launching on Saturday, 18th June. Weekly quizzes start on Saturday and end on Friday at midnight (UTC).

We have been deeply involved in the development (and success!) of the PL/SQL Challenge from the very beginning... and we have now taken the next logical step:

APEX Evangelists is now sponsoring a weekly APEX quiz, so you can now look forward to APEX Evangelists challenging you with some interesting quizzes. If you’re already a seasoned APEX developer or you are only just beginning your journey with APEX, then this is the perfect time to start competing in the APEX Quiz to help to deepen and broaden your knowledge about one of Oracle’s most exciting application development tools.

To play the APEX quiz starting 18 June, simply visit http://www.plsqlchallenge.com and choose the quiz in the Play a Quiz table. We also encourage you to submit your own ideas for APEX quizzes – and to volunteer as a reviewer (which you can do through the Feedback page).

We made a bet with Steven Feuerstein that more developers will be playing the APEX quiz than the daily PL/SQL quiz in no time! So help us spread the word! Let your friends co-workers know about the APEX quiz and start playing now!

APEX 4.1 EA2 available: drag/drop calendar, data load

The Oracle Application Express (APEX) development team hit the ball out the park again with some of the new features you find in APEX 4.1 Early Adopter 2!

tryapexnow.com got updated last night with a new version of APEX and I just played a little bit with it. Two new features caught my eye: the data load wizard and the drag/drop in the calendar.

Drag/Drop in Calendar

I followed the wizard to create a new page of type Calendar and it now asks if you want to enable Drag and Drop.

The drag and drop features uses an On Demand Page Process which you have to select in the Calendar Attributes. If you click on the Process label you see an example how such a Process needs to look like.

Data Loading Pages (wizard)

You want to allow people to upload data in your application (using copy/paste or a csv file)? Now you just have to follow the Data Loading wizard and it does everything for you. It even includes a mechanism that detects if it needs to do an update or an insert, it allows you to add data transformations and validations and it just flows well.

When you finish the wizard the page in you application looks like this

Many features that come with this wizard, really nice. And it's just an APEX page, so you can still customise it like you want.

If you didn't try APEX 4.1 yet, give it a go, it's worth to see what's coming... and remember to use the Feedback link to give the APEX development team feedback.