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Version 12?

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    #31
    Re: Version 12?

    Pete Down Under,

    It depends on “how much” mobile you really need to be …

    If A5 can create web pages and you can view those web pages on your smart phone, then you already have a lot of mobile functionality … TODAY! (Granted, to optimize the mobile user experience, you might want to create/adapt some web pages to best fit the smaller screen size ... e.g. show essential/abbreviated information only, use a larger font, etc.).

    I will SOMEWHAT agree that “mobile” is the next big thing, but let’s not discount what you can ALREADY do to deliver very workable business solutions.

    As IT providers, it is our job to stay abreast of technology, but I sometimes feel that WE get too wrapped up in that technology, rather than [far more importantly] providing the most practical/affordable business solution. (I also think we tend to over-estimate how much the average user really cares about the technology ... but that is another argument!)

    I guess when I look at something I am always thinking "what CAN I do with this?", rather than "what can I NOT do with this?"
    Last edited by Paullm; 12-06-2012, 10:12 PM.

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      #32
      Re: Version 12?

      Hi Paul, I'm always pushing the envelope, that's me - and please don't get me wrong, I am happy with what I'm doing in the Product, as I have control over that, but remember someone has control over me, and I want that planned properly and measured as it impacts on my ability to deliver. Anyhow nice and warm down here.. it's summer time!
      Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
      Albert Einstein, (attributed)
      US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)

      Comment


        #33
        Re: Version 12?

        Originally posted by pettechservices View Post
        There are probably several of us who sit in silence simply because we don't know what to think about Alpha right now... I'm about 6 months into my subscription, and I honestly don't think I want to keep it.. Its good software, but seeing so many frustrated that have been around for so long, I don't have a great feeling..
        pettechservices,

        The question you have to ask yourself is: Do you feel lucky? Do you?

        IOW's do you see a better product for the same or less dollar cost? If not, you're good where you are. If you do, then you have a decision to make. I have been using Alpha for 20-years. I own every version since Alpha Five v1 and most of the Alpha Fours versions beginning w. ver 2. It's a powerful, versatile product. Some people are unhappy because of the subscription. Some are unhappy because the Alpha's roadmap is unclear. Some are unhappy because in general Alpha doesn't state their policies clearly (sorta the same as roadmap). I share some of those concerns, but so far at least, they are not a deal breaker. Virtually every problem I have encountered I have been able to resolve. Not single-handedly necessarily, but with help from others on this board, or even from the Alpha programmers themselves. That's saying something. We all want perfection, but perfection is a goal, not an achievable reality. To quote our former illustrious Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld: "As you know, ah, you go to war with the army you have---not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time."
        Peter
        AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

        [email protected]
        https://www.alphabasesolutions.com


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          #34
          Re: Version 12?

          Paul, you make sound statements in your posts that I can agree with.

          Originally posted by Paullm View Post
          I�m not that concerned about Version 12 and �subscription only�, as I think that has been floated mainly as a trial balloon. From my perspective, the fat lady has not yet sung and I foresee some future back-peddling by Alpha Software, to avoid alienating/losing many existing small developers � including myself � who will NEVER go the subscription-only route.
          I fully agree. I think the sale of the current subscription is part of a "testphase" to get a feeling about how many customers to expect purchasing such a subscription. This has been don before by Alpha. I can remember you could purchase "support packs" which gave you the right to ask for technical expert help on a specific case. Those packs weren't cheap at all, but as a sort of "last resort help"-option I purchased one. I can't see that "support packs" now are available anymore. Alpha has a history of trying out things in the pricing/licensing department. In my humble opinion: I do not see the Rabins brothers throwing away good money. And that is exactly what they would be doing should the subscription option become the only way: small developers will not follow. I think they already know this. It is (again, just my opinion) for good reason that Selwyn on this very board already stated that "a-la-carte" will always remain an option. So indeed, the fat lady has not sung yet by a long shot.

          Originally posted by Paullm View Post
          If there were more large companies using A5, we would be hearing about it and that �buzz� would also create less of a resistance from other corporations to try it.
          Don't hold your breath for that to happen. There may be one or two out there, but the main stream of big companies WILL go by market standard ONLY, but might TRY non-market-standard products in the periphery of their IT-landscape. They will never embrace it for their main stream solutions. Which multi-million-dollar company with more then 250 employees will base their existence on a product from a tiny company? You would get shot to pieces by the board-of-directors. And for good reason. Technically spoken, Alpha's web knows only one spider. A powerful one with a sound technical vision. What happens when Selwyn goes and takes his well-earned pension?
          Alpha Five offers may advantages, but it simply is not the market-standard, nor can it produce any market-standard code. If something happens with Alpha you are stuck with proprietary code and if you are basing your solutions on the .dbf standard... well...

          Originally posted by Paullm View Post
          I need to be absolutely sure of a successful outcome! Failing that, I'm just going to use what everyone else is using, regardless of whether or not it's the best-possible tool for my particular situation.
          That is exactly how corporations look at this.

          Originally posted by Paullm View Post
          For that work, Version 11 will do just fine!
          As would version 9 for that matter.

          I read you all saying that large companies / corporate budgets would more easily move towards the subscription system. I am pretty sure though, that my bank would not have.
          Large corporations mostly have large projects going on. Upgrading such a project to a higher version number might be a real pain in the butt especially if there is much xbasic programming done in it. We could not even move a huge application from v5 upward to v6 once!
          You must remember, that those really large applications are mostly "living organisms". They mutate whilst you are working on upgrading. Did you check part 1 for compatibility and move towards checking part 2, chances are part 1 is already being changed by the development team to meet changing needs. Before you reach the end of the application, you can start all over again. These companies know that and seldomly upgrade their complete platform. What works, works. If it does not work anymore, exchange by something new.
          We had as much as 6 developers working at the application full time. Changes on a daily basis. Such an environment one can simply not upgrade. It would come to a complete stop if you tried, and you would be losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a day. We tried many things to work around this problem, to no avail. So I do personally not think, that larger companies (as if there were that many using Alpha) will need the subscription that much. It all depends on their individual situation.
          Subscription is perfect for the small developer or professional developer that has new projects on a regular basis. He needs to upgrade his tooling for every project to be up there with competition. That however mainly is a one-man-show with Alpha developers. Look at the guys reacting in this very thread: how many of those are working in a team with more then 5 developers working with Alpha? My best guess is: nobody. My best guess is, that all are independent one-man developers.
          Forcing those developers into a full subscription to purchase things they do not need, seems ridiculous. The cafeteria system might be the better thing to do. I would buy a subscription for "desktop" or "web" but not for the full product. For me, that would simply be overkill. I want to buy things when I need them. Not before I even know I will be using it at all.

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            #35
            Re: Version 12?

            WOW - sounds right to me - Marcel you certainly know how to put it together.. thanks. I'll just keep my options open moving forwards WITH EYES WIDE OPEN.
            Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
            Albert Einstein, (attributed)
            US (German-born) physicist (1879 - 1955)

            Comment


              #36
              Re: Version 12?

              I think A5 is an awesome product... I just am concerned about the company as things are unclear.. there has been all this discussion for a while, but yet, no real information from the company to try and appease us... just more videos showing some minor features (Yes, the login stuff is nice, but really? 5 videos about the login feature???). After reading many points on here from others, it does make me worry some about the future, and if they keep promising this feature and that feature (i.e. IIS), and keep us on the hook so we keep subscribing..

              Comment


                #37
                Re: Version 12?

                Originally posted by mronck View Post
                I can remember you could purchase "support packs" which gave you the right to ask for technical expert help on a specific case. Those packs weren't cheap at all, but as a sort of "last resort help"-option I purchased one. I can't see that "support packs" now are available anymore.
                I think the possibility is still available here which is just good thing.

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                  #38
                  Re: Version 12?

                  Originally posted by kkfin View Post
                  I think the possibility is still available here which is just good thing.
                  Hi Ken,

                  The point that I was trying to make was NOT to dispute the existence of support, but rather to illustrate that Alpha has on occasion tried out different systems of selling their products and services. Therefore I spoke about "Support Packs", not single incident support. You could buy a bunch of those and pay once. I think to remember there was not even a time limit on it as there is now, and they did not have 2 types of incidents either, as they have now. They try things, and when it does not work, they change it again. Not uncommon.

                  Comment


                    #39
                    Re: Version 12?

                    Originally posted by pettechservices View Post
                    I think A5 is an awesome product... I just am concerned about the company as things are unclear.. there has been all this discussion for a while, but yet, no real information from the company to try and appease us... just more videos showing some minor features (Yes, the login stuff is nice, but really? 5 videos about the login feature???). After reading many points on here from others, it does make me worry some about the future, and if they keep promising this feature and that feature (i.e. IIS), and keep us on the hook so we keep subscribing..
                    Hopefully no news is good news. I am trying to be a half full glass person in this case, but it is hard when Alpha are being so vague about everything. They do monitor the forum so I am surprised that no statement about current posts has been forthcoming.
                    Another interesting question has been flagged up for me by reading the various posts here, i.e. how does Alpha manage all of the various subscription deals that their customers have bought into over the last year or so? For example, my original subscription was a one-off payment and my current subscription is a 12 month $99 per month subscription, yet it would appear that some here are getting the same monthly subscription deal but over 6 months... Also, if Alpha do pull the plug on subscriptions because of overwhelming apathy within it's customer base, then what happens to the subscribers who have paid up front already? Some information/clarification about this would be most welcome.
                    BTW, I have still to get any feedback from Richard re. my subscription questions in the "Way to go Alpha" thread.

                    Paul

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