I just received my first ever Alpha product, Version 4.5. I am excited about trying it. This message board is extraordinary and a great asset for a new user. I have not yet installed Alpha 5, but am already a little nervous about using it as a development environment. I have been following most threads on the message board, and consequently have many questions/concerns:
1. Stability is absolutely critical, yet there is a thread discussing system crashes and *.muf files, etc. and it seems to be an all too common problem. How bad is it really, and should I wait for Version 5?
2. Is the Runtime installed separately on each user's machine or just on the server (or designated server)? Can one machine have a full version for user reporting, etc. while all others are using the Runtime?
3. Some database products, especially the "Professional" versions have "InstallShield Express" which is typically a stripped down version of InstallShield, but specifically pre-configured for that products installation requirements. I would be willing to pay more for a Runtime product if it had this capability built in. Conversely, without an install program, it is much more difficult for the developer to package and install applications for end-users. Is anything being done to address this issue?
4. I have historically used database development products that have full SQL functionality. A very complex query can be constructed with a single SQL statement but a comparable query in Alpha 5 seems to take an incredible amount of XBasic code to accomplish. Are there any plans to incorporate SQL into Alpha 5 such as that Visual FoxPro has?
5. Can some of you who have worked with other products give me any idea as to comparable form and report loading speed, as well as other processing speed? It seems the CodeBase engine which is known for fantastic speed should dramatically improve the Alpha product line, is that your experience?
Thanks to all you gurus who answer the tough questions posed on this forum. I have little doubt there would be far fewer Alpha users and new users without your participation on a constant basis. Reading the responses of Ira, Tom, Charlie and several others tells me the product is in good hands!
Brent Warwick
1. Stability is absolutely critical, yet there is a thread discussing system crashes and *.muf files, etc. and it seems to be an all too common problem. How bad is it really, and should I wait for Version 5?
2. Is the Runtime installed separately on each user's machine or just on the server (or designated server)? Can one machine have a full version for user reporting, etc. while all others are using the Runtime?
3. Some database products, especially the "Professional" versions have "InstallShield Express" which is typically a stripped down version of InstallShield, but specifically pre-configured for that products installation requirements. I would be willing to pay more for a Runtime product if it had this capability built in. Conversely, without an install program, it is much more difficult for the developer to package and install applications for end-users. Is anything being done to address this issue?
4. I have historically used database development products that have full SQL functionality. A very complex query can be constructed with a single SQL statement but a comparable query in Alpha 5 seems to take an incredible amount of XBasic code to accomplish. Are there any plans to incorporate SQL into Alpha 5 such as that Visual FoxPro has?
5. Can some of you who have worked with other products give me any idea as to comparable form and report loading speed, as well as other processing speed? It seems the CodeBase engine which is known for fantastic speed should dramatically improve the Alpha product line, is that your experience?
Thanks to all you gurus who answer the tough questions posed on this forum. I have little doubt there would be far fewer Alpha users and new users without your participation on a constant basis. Reading the responses of Ira, Tom, Charlie and several others tells me the product is in good hands!
Brent Warwick
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