Question from a friend: Toad or SQL Developer

An old friend sent me the following question:

Rich,

Have you heard about the new capabilities of Oracle SQL Developer? Do you know how it stacks up to TOAD?

http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/database/sql_developer/files/featurelist_1_5.htm

We have this recurring debate about the value of TOAD. Has SQL Developer caught up yet?

thanks

---

Here is my response....

My two cents:

Hard core DBA or PL/SQL developer then Toad, everyone else, SQL Developer.

If your living/breathing PL/SQL work, Toad is just easier and more intuitive. Otherwise, SQL Developer is great. SQL Developer is absolutely taking market share away from Toad, hence why Quest is focusing their Toad development teams on versions for other databases like DB2 and MySQL. I've got both installed and I find myself trying more and more things out in SQL Developer then Toad (although I'm still a SQL*plus guy by default).

Hope this makes sense, it's been a long day...Take care...Rich