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From: wtm@neoucom.UUCP (Bill Mayhew)
Newsgroups: net.micro,net.micro.pc,net.database
Subject: Re: VP Info (Paperback Software)
Message-ID: <267@neoucom.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Sep-86 22:55:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: neoucom.267
Posted: Thu Sep  4 22:55:33 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Sep-86 05:09:29 EDT
References: <240@philmds.UUCP>
Organization: Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Lines: 57
Summary: I Saw Adam himself on TV...
Xref: mnetor net.micro:5980 net.micro.pc:6395 net.database:394


Hi,

	I watched a blurb about VP info a few weeks back on my
satellite dish uplined from KSCI in San Diego's "The Computer
Show".  They had good 'ole Adam himself on giving a demo of VP
Info.

	While the interview was obviously somewhat superficial,
given the constraints of television it did indeed look like quite a
nice product.  The data storage files used by VP Info and dBase III
are supposed to have equivalent structures.

	One nice feature of VP Info is that it has a sort of visual
forms compiler that makes setting up entry and report screens very
easy (or so it looked!)   One merely postions the cursor on the
screen where the desired filed is supposed to go, then puches up
the attributes.  The compiler then generates the data structure
accordingly.  This looks like it could save tons of time, as
building forms has been a real pain in the past.  About the closest
thing I can think of to VP Info is something like File-it!,
although VP Info looked easier.  If I remember correctly, pop-up
windows can also be added to forms.

	Like several other of Adam Osborne's software goodies, VP
Info has a nice macro system built in.  Reportedly, it has a learn
mode where you key in an example and it watches; the example can
then be played back later as a template for further data entry.

	VP Info is supposed to be upwardly, but not downwardly
compatible with dBase III in that they supply some aids in going
from dBase -> VP Info but not vice-versa in terms of converting
programming.

	I can't verify, but someone said that VP Info had the
ability to parse sentences for querrying the database.  I don't
recall seeing that, so you might want to check that out further.

	VP Info is supposed to have been realased in Canada for about
6 months (maybe more), and thus ought to be relatively stable.  The
price is supposed to be around $100, so it seems like it would be
hard to go too far wrong, even if it turns out you don't like it.
Several dealers around where I live have it, so you should be able
to find it at a joint near you.  If you live in the west, you might
want to give Egghead Software a call.

	Hope this is of some use to you Kevin.  I tried to mail to
you directly, but it didn't get through.  Thought the rest of the
net mgiht be interested too any way.  No, I don't work for or get money
from Adam Osborne, but I do like programs that look nice and are
cheap.

Bill Mayhew
Division of Basic Medical Sciences
Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine
Rootstown, OH  44272  USA      (216) 325-2511
(wtm@neoucom.UUCP)