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From: graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU (Dan Graifer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Icon Review Winter Catalog / Can you say Vaporware?
Message-ID: <323@net1.UCSD.EDU>
Date: Sat, 29-Nov-86 14:19:41 EST
Article-I.D.: net1.323
Posted: Sat Nov 29 14:19:41 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Nov-86 21:00:51 EST
References: <93@colossus.tc.fluke.COM> <1106@tekig4.UUCP> <9579@sun.uucp> <4723@ism780c.UUCP>
Reply-To: graifer@net1.UUCP (Dan Graifer)
Organization: U.C. San Diego
Lines: 28


(complaints about Icon Review that turned into discussion of Reflex)

1) I got my copy of Reflex from MacConnection: Good Price, Fast Service, no
   problems: 1-800-622-5472.  They advertise in MacWorld

2) Reflex:

Reflex really is an astonishingly cheap way of setting up really elaborate
relational databases.  The report writing features are very flexible.  It
seems fairly fast. It isn't copy protected.

The main problem is that the update/entry forms are very inflexible.  You
must have exactly one form for each file, and each form may only refer to 
its own file.  No fancy forms that collect information for several files.
Also, the field validity checking is pretty limited, for example, no 
arithmetic computations are allowed, just relational expressions.

Finally, the most frustrating part of the above complaints is that the 
limitations are not documented, and produce no error message; The just don't 
work and are ignored.

Conclusion: I am basically happy at the price, but I am very much looking 
forward to a new release with better forms.  

Dan Graifer
graifer@net1.UCSD.EDU
(Standard Disclaimers Apply)