Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!portal!cup.portal.com!Classic_-_Concepts
From: Classic_-_Concepts@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.advocacy
Subject: Re: Still no Ami businessware.
Message-ID: <39967@cup.portal.com>
Date: 9 Mar 91 05:12:48 GMT
References: <39774@cup.portal.com> <39832@cup.portal.com>
  <1991Mar6.201318.11662@acd4.acd.com>
  <1991Mar7.050258.16878@evax.arl.utexas.edu>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 45

Since we're on the topic of business software, we might as well discuss
database-ware.
 
After reading reviews, we selected Pro Data Retrieve (about a year and a
half ago, I believe).  We have an expert data base programmer in-house
who does consulting work in the community, installing and customizing
data base software.
 
He's an Amiga owner/lover.

He tried setting up Pro Data Retrieve for our needs on the 2000.  He spent
almost a week and MANY tech support calls.  I looked at it too, to see if
his complaints were valid and concluded that they were.  There are problems
in the programming language which comes with it that can't be overcome, like
sensing if a box has been clicked inside or outside the critical area (there'
no way to test the value, so what good is it).  He took considerable time    
to write a thoughtful, long letter to the manufacturer to which he received
no response.  Time was a-wasting and he finally gave up and created a very
good data base on the IBM/compat. in less than 2 days in SEVERAL sets of
software.  He has about 3 data base programs due to his line of work.  I
watched the entire process.  In summary, he set up a good, bug-free workable
system on the IBM-compat. in about 16 hours.  He was unable to put together
anything at the moderately sophisticated level we needed in over 50 hours
with the Amiga software.  The others tried their hands at it and gave up.
Sure, you can set up the records very easily, but writing the bug routines
and interactivity sections was a hopeless endeavor.  We haven't heard any
word of upgrades or fixes for these problems.  Too bad.  The software is
'almost there'.  It has a lot of things to recommend it.
 
We were almost set to get Superbase (is that the name of the other major
program?) but our almost-local Amiga dealer and wizard-developer-Amiga-
fanatic said he had tried with that and given up (for his business).  He
finally bought an IBM-compatible laptop and set it up on that.   

It is frustrating in the *extreme* to go out an buy a whole other computer
system and software when we love the Amiga and just want to spend the money
on a good piece of software ($1500 vs $350 is an awfully big difference).
If we good accomplish our needs on the Amigas, we'd chuck the IBM compatible
in a minute.  It's taking up a lot of space.  It's kind of ugly too.    

Manufacturers may be ignoring the Amiga as a business market, but there are
lots of us who would buy good desktop publishing software (better than what
we have now) and good data base/spreadsheet software at the drop of a hat.
 
                                                         J. Petersen