A5 Platinum !!!

[Dermot]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

I switched to a Vista machine and it worked fine.

That's pretty impressive stuff.

[Richard Rabins]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

we have put a huge effort into this - so we are delighted that you agree!

[christobal]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

Having spent the good part of a year, wrestling through the limited documentation regarding the new features which were introduced into AlphaV8, in the realm of SQL connections and the related record sets. I find it a stab in the back to see that the solution, which was addressed as a “failing” of those introduced features to be presented as a new feature, with the consequences being that the people who have already invested time, money and effort will yet again have to fork out to get what they were lead to believe from marketing materials posted prior to release as a workable scenario.
It would in my opinion be “fair practice” to offer, optionally at a nominal charge an update to those customers whom have already purchased AlphaV8-Enterprise licenses (obviously for remote data functionality). The update could be based upon already existing licenses of which Alpha Software has records of. As, for the runtimes maybe this issue could be addressed as an add in to existing installation exes

[webmaster]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

V8 Enterprise had passive link tables, and all of the marketing material that I saw mentioned this. Platinum will add active link tables, which is a significant chunk of new functionality, and not anything that I expected in V8 based on what Alpha told us. I absolutely don't see this as any type of failing on the part of V8 and I don't think I'm entitled to a special consideration on Platinum.

But of course I'd be more than happy to accept one!

[411tech]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

I use IE7 and the videos played perfectly.

[webmaster]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

I just double checked the Alpha website. I think http://www.alphasoftware.com/AlphaFive/connectivity.asp is accurate and sets the expectation of what V8 offers. Was there something else that you saw that led you to feel that you've been stabbed in the back?

[christobal]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

Monday, November 20, 2006
Early Bird Pricing for Licenses, Runtimes and the Application Server
Early Bird Specials are Limited to First 1,500 Customers.
Alpha Five Version 8 Enterprise Edition - designed to work with SQL
includes everything in the Professional Edition,
offers the ability to work with SQL databases through ADO or the new Alpha DAO,
the Alpha Five Enterprise Report Builder - previously this was separately priced at $199,
the Alpha Five Database Explorer

I don't know how you define ability to work with?

Definition of work (verb)
forms: worked; worked; working
to labor; to act; to operate; to activate; to process

Passive is hardly working with (excuse the pun)

[411tech]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

I have to agree with Chris. I remember when I first read about V8. SQL Connectivity was, at it appears now, vague to say the least.

When I purchased V8, I went for the Enterprise Version, and have since purchased additional licenses for both the Runtimes and App Server.

During my first year of programming with V8, I was busy with apps that did NOT need the SQL connectivity so I didn't even realize that the connectivity was limited.

Once I needed that connectivity, I found out REAL quick that it was best used for reporting on SQL databases and that is what I have done.

With today's videos, I see at least three projects that I passed on, that would be very easy to perform with V9.

I am sure they will give us a price break for being previous users, and depending on what other features are in there, I might purchase immediately. With my prior experience with Alpha pricing, I am hoping I will be able to delay purchase until the pricing comes down to the current levels.

Less than a year ago I was offered the Enterprise 3 user runtime and the app server for the low price of $799. And that was without a copy of V8 Enterprise included. Now it's $349.

Pricing is NOT Alpha's forte, but delivering a product that allows me to get the job done is, and that is the bottom line. Luckily I have always been able to include the price of Alpha in the first project I do with a new version, and that is what I will do with V9.

[Richard Rabins]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

In the coming few days you will see that Alpha Five v9 PLATINUM is about extensive Client Server SQL support AND a WHOLE lot more!!

Once the full feature set is fully revealed we firmly believe that anyone who is in the business of building desktop or web apps (against dbf or SQL data)
will be extremely satisfied with the value for money that it represents because of its sheer productivity compared to alternative desktop or web development tools

[NoeticCC]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

"...offers the ability to work with SQL databases through ADO ... the Alpha Five Enterprise Report Builder - previously this was separately priced at $199, the Alpha Five Database Explorer"

I don't know how you define ability to work with?

Well, aside from reporting and web apps, admittedly V8 required scripting to work fully with SQL databases, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible...

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

Well, aside from reporting and web apps, admittedly V8 required scripting to work fully with SQL databases, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible...

Actually, that's not entirely correct. Working against SQL databases in Web Applications did not require any scripting. The Grid builder and Dialog builder have always worked against SQL databases - no scripting required. Thousands of Alpha Five customers have built Web applications against SQL databases without knowing any Xbasic.

[411tech]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

According to a radio interview with Richard Rabins: And in fact, if you talk to users now who have had experience with web applications, "performance" is unquestionably the single biggest issue. And that�s why a lot of your listeners may have heard of an emerging technology called, "AJAX," which in very simple terms relates to minimizing the amount of traffic that is going forth between your browser and the server, which would improve speed. You can build AJAX applications in Alpha. In the near future we will build very complete AJAX applications without requiring the user to program at all.

So it appears V9 will have AJAX compatibility. I really don't like this trickle down of info. So for the next 30 days I will continue to program something I might not have to program because it is built into the next version. If I can, until it ships, I will just try to maintain my current projects.

I would hate to spend time doing something that takes a lot of code, only to see it become moot. The best example of this was the transition from V7 to V8 is the security framework. How much time did people spend dealing with security with V7, only to see it done for you in V8.

[Richard Rabins]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

Good Point Barry!

If you or anyone reading this thread are interested in getting a Beta copy of Alpha Five (v9) Platinum, please send me a request for the Beta of the product. My email is [email protected]

Please include a short paragraph about your experience with Alpha Five and/or other development tools for database applications.

Thanks

[411tech]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

Good Point Barry!

If you or anyone reading this thread are interested in getting a Beta copy of Alpha Five (v9) Platinum, please send me a request for the Beta of the product. My email is [email protected]

Please include a short paragraph about your experience with Alpha Five and/or other development tools for database applications.

Thanks

Richard,

Thank you for a chance to see what will be available in V9. I am sure your offer will be a relief to the many Alpha programmers struggling with certain features in V8, that are handled easily by V9.

[Richard Rabins]

Re: A5 Platinum !!!

i just sent you the beta info Barry

Thanks