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need your advice please

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    need your advice please


    When you're creating applications with Alpha Five, you might have encountered the 'what's Alpha?' question from clients and other developers. We've decided to step up our public relations efforts to make Alpha's database tools more familiar in the developer community, and we'd like to ask for your advice.

    We're trying to identify a dozen or so 'A List' publications (print and online) that developers read most carefully for discussions of new software tools and technologies. Based on what you tell us, we'll focus our attention on getting visibility where it counts--which might not be in the obvious places.

    We have a pretty good idea about many of the names that should be on this 'A List,' of course. But your feedback will help us fill in the gaps and make sure we know who the real thought-leaders are for application developers like yourself.

    To help out, please list the top 3-5 publications, blogs, and forums that you personally feel have the most useful discussions of software tools for developers:

    ___________________
    ___________________
    ____________________
    ____________________
    _____________________
    _____________________

    Many thanks.

    We'll try to use this information to convince your clients and users that Alpha is the right choice for application development.

    Please post your replies in the announcement section where this same message is being posted.
    Thanks

    Sincerely,

    Richard Rabins
    Richard Rabins
    Co Chairman
    Alpha Software

    #2
    RE: need your advice please

    Richard -

    I guess you'll get a few of these, but PC Magazine is the one publication I always try and make time to read. I think a presence there is certainly important for general awareness of who Alpha Software is, and what Alpha Five is. I think you'll hit a good segment of the "power user" group: those that have good overall technical skills, but are not programmers by profession. I consider myself a member of this segment. And I credit Alpha Five with inspiring me to become more proficient in developing database applications - because it enabled me (as a power user) to actually create entire applications with almost no procedural code. Your products' unique approach of offering Genies, action scripts, and the Xbasic language enables a power user to do things only true "coders" could do before. And I think there are many people out there like me that would love to be able to create database applications, but have tried the other tools and have either failed, or had only moderate success.

    So, although I think you're saying you want to target the developer community, I think you should continue to go after the power users who want to do more - and maybe even become developers eventually. With Alpha Five they can start with the basics the genies and action scripts give them, and take it "to the next level" when they're ready. So I think good old PC magazine should still be part of the strategy.

    -David

    P.S. I had a great time at the 2005 Alpha Conference, and I truly enjoy working with Alpha Five - it's my favorite software tool!

    Comment


      #3
      RE: need your advice please

      Richard

      Interesting question??? Question --- who are you trying to reach??? Users or Developers?

      If it's users, then don't spend dollars on PC tech magazines PC Magazine, etc....). These are not generally read by users. Look for areas where users are looking at stuff. For example, like AOL does, put Alpha info in all Expson printers sold, or all HP's, or monitors or keyboards, or mice. Things a user might need. Offer a free runtime (or a couple) very user friendly runtime applications (address book, cd collection, etc...) that are built with Alpha and a user could convert or upgrade to a more open version.

      If it's to developers -- I'm not sure I'd try and fight that fight only because Microsoft has pretty much squashed everyone else out of the market. I was using another product and am switching to Alpha. Most developers are pretty much "locked" onto whatever it is there are using. My switch to Alpha is not easy. I've got a new everything to learn and I'm losing old familiar stuff. Changing is not easy.

      You might look at partenering with non-database tech conferences to expose developers to Alpha. Or market to tech schools that teach database design. Offer them (teacher) a free developers product to use for teaching. Exposing students -- soon to be developers to a product may produce what you're looking for.

      Talking with developers using other products, I see a mentality of "my mind's made up, so do don't confuse me with the facts" (yep that's me). That's not a slam, but if I as a developer have invested myself and time in product A, it's unlikely you'll ever sway me or even interest me to try or use product B, regardless of product B being better. Access guys are Access guys, FileMaker guys are FM guys, etc..... You know, I'd rather fight than switch, etc....."

      Selling to a mature, decided market is very tough.

      BarryZ

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