Linux and Open Source... What is still missing?

[Chanchao]

Thanks for the GLOM suggestion, it looks very encouraging!!

On OOo Base however....  I guess that's okay-ish as a basic front end to
editing data in a table, but not exactly suitable to go develop an
actual application that can be released to users/customers.  Like I
don't think it does master-detail forms?

Access is really quite good when used as a rich front-end to SQL Server,
so with a proper relational database behind it.  (The built in database
is indeed not the hottest thing since rice, but there's little need to
use it with MS SQL Server 2005 Express Edition being $-free)

Mostly when customers out-grow the limits of the $-free version, they're
big enough to afford a regular SQL Server version.

Cheers,
Chanchao