I spent a lot of time yesterday reading the forum since I am considering upgrading to Version 11 from my current version 9. There has been a lot of discussion about Desktop-vs-Web and some folks clearly think the Desktop is not getting enough attention. For what it's worth, here's my opinion on this subject.
I am not a professional developer. I'm a business manager and I use software to help manage all the data we accumulate. But I'm a very small single store company with less than 10 employees. Larger companies with bigger budgets and bigger needs will make different decisions. But for me, Alpha Five has made it possible for me control my own data by making it easier for me to design my own database management systems. I have been on the lookout for over twenty years for a developed software solution that I can afford and fits my needs. I keep coming back to Alpha because I can control it and make what I want. My application is not as polished and lacks sophistication and some features. But I control it.
For me it doesn't matter what the interface is (desktop, browser, ugly, pretty), only that I control the data. I am very happy that Alpha has been working more on the Web side since I see the need for a more distributed network that expands beyond my store and into our homes, cars and into the warehouse. I like the idea of getting at my data from anywhere. The desktop side of Alpha is a fantastic tool and I plan on continuing to use it. But I can't take it with me in my car and into a customer's home. I can access it from home and the warehouse using RDP or VNC since I control those networks. But if I'm on a public network I like the idea of web access, or mobile access, to the same data as I am using on the desktop at the store, in real time.
I've dabbled with the WAS in versions 8 and 9 and now I've decided I'm going to do most of my further development using the Web tools. From what I've read, and watched on video, it seems I will be able to do a pretty decent job using the new version 11 (or maybe 12 - got some questions I'll post in another thread).
This is the opinion of a non-developer. I don't make my living developing software. So I understand the disappointment from some here who are developers who don't see enough effort going into the desktop tools. But from my perspective, I'm excited about the possibilities for me to design my applications for web and mobile access in a similar fashion to how I did it on the desktop. Without Alpha Five I would have stayed with Access or would have purchased some pre-packaged solution that I didn't really want. And without the web tools available to me now in Alpha Five I would have no choice but to purchase a pre-packaged solution developed on a system foreign to me and beyond my control. But with the current tools available in Alpha Five I can design my own interface that can run on any browser and get at my data from anywhere. And I can do it all myself, without being a professional developer or programmer.
Somewhere in the other threads it was mentioned that Alpha's roots were set into the SOHO section of business. For those of us in the SOHO section of the business world this has been a fantastic thing, giving us an alternative to Access or FileMaker and freeing us from proprietary database schemes under someone elses control. My worry has always been that Alpha would outgrow the SOHO sector and leave us behind to fend for ourselves. It seems that may be happening now and that Alpha is heading more into the mainstream corporate world. I wish them well - as a business man I understand the need to grow and change. But I hope we SOHO types can continue to hold on to the coat tails of the corporate developers to come and that we will not be shut out of this fine product. I hope that Alpha decides to support both the SOHO and the bigger corporate customers at the same time. The SOHO sector does not need as much so we could purchase a "sub-set" at a lower cost. But I know I cannot afford this subscription option and I would prefer to purchase licenses on an "a la carte" basis as I have always done. I guess the jury is still out on how this will all work out but I hope Alpha has the good sense to not abandon it's roots.
Sincerely,
Sean Kennedy
Cracker Mill Hearth & Emporium
Shokan, New York
I am not a professional developer. I'm a business manager and I use software to help manage all the data we accumulate. But I'm a very small single store company with less than 10 employees. Larger companies with bigger budgets and bigger needs will make different decisions. But for me, Alpha Five has made it possible for me control my own data by making it easier for me to design my own database management systems. I have been on the lookout for over twenty years for a developed software solution that I can afford and fits my needs. I keep coming back to Alpha because I can control it and make what I want. My application is not as polished and lacks sophistication and some features. But I control it.
For me it doesn't matter what the interface is (desktop, browser, ugly, pretty), only that I control the data. I am very happy that Alpha has been working more on the Web side since I see the need for a more distributed network that expands beyond my store and into our homes, cars and into the warehouse. I like the idea of getting at my data from anywhere. The desktop side of Alpha is a fantastic tool and I plan on continuing to use it. But I can't take it with me in my car and into a customer's home. I can access it from home and the warehouse using RDP or VNC since I control those networks. But if I'm on a public network I like the idea of web access, or mobile access, to the same data as I am using on the desktop at the store, in real time.
I've dabbled with the WAS in versions 8 and 9 and now I've decided I'm going to do most of my further development using the Web tools. From what I've read, and watched on video, it seems I will be able to do a pretty decent job using the new version 11 (or maybe 12 - got some questions I'll post in another thread).
This is the opinion of a non-developer. I don't make my living developing software. So I understand the disappointment from some here who are developers who don't see enough effort going into the desktop tools. But from my perspective, I'm excited about the possibilities for me to design my applications for web and mobile access in a similar fashion to how I did it on the desktop. Without Alpha Five I would have stayed with Access or would have purchased some pre-packaged solution that I didn't really want. And without the web tools available to me now in Alpha Five I would have no choice but to purchase a pre-packaged solution developed on a system foreign to me and beyond my control. But with the current tools available in Alpha Five I can design my own interface that can run on any browser and get at my data from anywhere. And I can do it all myself, without being a professional developer or programmer.
Somewhere in the other threads it was mentioned that Alpha's roots were set into the SOHO section of business. For those of us in the SOHO section of the business world this has been a fantastic thing, giving us an alternative to Access or FileMaker and freeing us from proprietary database schemes under someone elses control. My worry has always been that Alpha would outgrow the SOHO sector and leave us behind to fend for ourselves. It seems that may be happening now and that Alpha is heading more into the mainstream corporate world. I wish them well - as a business man I understand the need to grow and change. But I hope we SOHO types can continue to hold on to the coat tails of the corporate developers to come and that we will not be shut out of this fine product. I hope that Alpha decides to support both the SOHO and the bigger corporate customers at the same time. The SOHO sector does not need as much so we could purchase a "sub-set" at a lower cost. But I know I cannot afford this subscription option and I would prefer to purchase licenses on an "a la carte" basis as I have always done. I guess the jury is still out on how this will all work out but I hope Alpha has the good sense to not abandon it's roots.
Sincerely,
Sean Kennedy
Cracker Mill Hearth & Emporium
Shokan, New York
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