Caché for simple applications

Mariana and Robert, if I may - the various 'databases' all have a similar requirement, that is to understand the best practice for the choice made. What is not always obvious is the power that Caché or IRIS brings that no other environment can match. 

Applying good systems design architecture in Caché would in the long run result in a highly functional and adaptable solution in the least 'complex' and 'simplest' code.

It is worth the effort to overcome the perceived 'complexity' and benefit from the resultant powerful 'simplicity'.

You could get a long way with HTML, javascript and SQL with the minimal knowledge of COS.

There are many different types of applications. And Caché or nowadays IRIS is just a part of it. For any new applications, I would not recommend using ObjectScript as much as possible and use it as a Database if you need it to just store the data. Any simple application may become bigger in the future, so, having already something that will help with is a good idea. InterSystems some time already offers Community Editon version of IRIS, which is for free, without some of the features, and limited by the size of the Database. And for a simple application, 10GB looks enough. But depends on what do you mean by simple application. It may do some simple task but which will be heavy in the size of data.