Top Link is a 100%(tm) Java-based Object Relational Mapping layer (originally written in Smalltalk) developed by The Object People. TOP was sold to BEA in April 2000 with the Top Link product being split off and sold to Web Gain. Web Gain was an independent company funded by Warburg Pincus Ventures (majority share) with BEA holding a non-voting minority share. Web Gain sold the Top Link product in May of 2002 to Oracle (Web Gain has since ceased operations and other intellectual property it owned has also been sold).
The current version of Top Link is 9.03 - the (new!) home page is
It's highly regarded in the industry. -- Kyle Brown
I just followed the links - they are no longer offering a free evaluation copy for their Smalltalk Language version.
I understand that, sadly, they are abandoning the (Smalltalk version of the) product. What a pity. Just another takeover casualty.
I wonder if there would be any way for them to Open Source the Small Talk version of Top Link?
I've talked to them about it...but nothing yet. Maybe if enough people make noise about it, then we can do something. -- Anthony Lander
I don't see that they're advertising Smalltalk Language support; just Java. Hmmm.
Also known as Oracle9iAS Top Link.
This is Oracle's newer version of the Top Link OR Tool. Oracle purchased Top Link in May of 2002, and now continues to develop and support it.
Applications using Oracle9iAS Top Link can store/retrieve Java objects into relational databases, XML files, or other data sources. There is no need to subclass data objects from pre-made class types, any existing data object can be mapped and stored.
Oracle9iAS Top Link has support for JDO APIs. Also, it is built on top of JDBC. This makes it portable across any JDBC compliant database: including Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, Sybase, Informix, and Access.
A Wiki Wifi Authorization Server www.aradial.com 
I have created a Wiki about Top Link: toplink.waldura.com . At this point in time it's mostly my own notes + some stuff I lifted off the Toplink forum at Oracle. Maybe it'll grow into something interesting? --Renaud Waldura
See original on c2.com