66 Oracle Database 10g Express Edition (Oracle Database XE) is an entry-level, small- footprint spatial database that's free to develop, deploy, and distribute; fast to download; and simple to administer. Oracle Locator is a feature of Oracle XE that provides core geospatial functionality needed to deploy location-based services (LBS) and GIS solutions, from business intelligence web portals and CRM to utilities, transportation, and land management applications. Locator is supported by the leading commercial and open source GIS and LBS technologies, including MapServer, MapGuide, GeoServer, GeoTools, GRASS, GDAL, and Deegree. With Oracle Database XE, developers, ISVs, DBAs, and students can now develop and deploy geospatial applications with a powerful, proven, industry-leading infrastructure that has been adopted by 80-90% of medium to large organizations using spatial database management systems, such as state and local government portals, national cadasters, and insurance companies. This paper highlights the value propositions for using this free database for developing robust geospatial applications: easy, open access to location assets across users, departments, organizations; and secure, manageable, performant data management. It also provides an overview of the Locator capabilities in Oracle Database XE, including an open spatial data type; SQL-based location queries and analysis such as proximity, nearest neighbor, and distance; and compliance with the OGC Simple Features for SQL, ISO, and SQL/MM specifications. FOSS4G2006 - Free And Open Source Software for Geoinformatics Session 5 : Development Xavier Lopez xavier.lopez@oracle.com Xavier Lopez xavier.lopez@oracle.com <MaKaC.conference.ContributionType object at 0xb3c102ec> Spatial Databases