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Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

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    Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

    We're a software company looking for a strategic rapid development tool.
    Desktop apps aren't our world - developing Software as a Service platforms and web/mobile site/applications is what we're aiming for.
    Subscription model vs single payment doesn't bother us- Alpha appears to be in the right price bracket for us and we don't mind investing as long as we can see where the tool and platform is headed.
    I've read many threads on this forum and, based on the current version of Alpha (v11), we'd have signed up by now.
    What worries me (and is preventing the leap) is a combination of lack of reliable information and abundance of misinformation about the next version.

    The critical information that I need is - when will the next version ship (to the nearest quarter) and what architecture will it run on?
    Our biggest concern is server platform. We'd just about reconciled ourselves to running on a "non-standard" server, but were excited to see rumours of Alpha moving to IIS. Then I read a thread that v12 will run only on Alpha's own hosted infrastructure.

    Where can I read a roadmap? Who should I ask?

    Regards
    Chris

    #2
    Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

    Many of us would like the same information. If you do learn anything please share it.
    Regards,

    John W.
    www.CustomReportWriters.net

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

      Originally posted by Chris Nockolds View Post
      What worries me (and is preventing the leap) is a combination of lack of reliable information and abundance of misinformation about the next version.
      You may have seen some of the videos on v12 - many of them are on YouTube. Heavy emphasis on mobile functionality and the UX control formerly, and still presently, called the dialog2. The last I heard about IIS was from one of the key Alpha programmers who told me IIS integration was coming along well but they still were resolving some issues w. grids. That was about 2-months ago. That's all I know. There's also this link:

      https://www.alphasoftware.com/platfo...&_hsmi=6974456

      Looks like it hasn't been updated for a while.
      Peter
      AlphaBase Solutions, LLC

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


      Comment


        #4
        Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

        Alpha will be pretty guarded about some of their information to keep competitors from knowing their plans. That is just sound business practice unless you are way behind your competitors. I do understand, but not absolutley sure, that v12 is in beta now. A time frame fo release would probably depend on how that goes. My guess(and it is a guess) would be 3rd quarter based on past releases and the noises made prior to those releases.

        I don't know much else about what v12(alpha anywhere) is bringing to the community and I have been with alpha since arounf 1990.
        Dave Mason
        [email protected]
        Skype is dave.mason46

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

          There is also a rumor (started by Alphas always appropriate sales man) that IIS support is made available only through Amazon Cloud servers.

          Straight to the first class!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

            Alpha v12 is in beta and I am currently testing it. IIS integration is being tested but there is no beta yet. I initially signed up for those tests but when reading the prerequisites when the test program was launched I found I did not qualify. I have no idea when a beta will become available but I also heard recently things were going the right way. The Alpha server runs on Windows (server OS not needed but obviously recommended) and you can do that on your own hardware for intranet apps or hosted VPS solutions etc. I have not the faintest idea about what "Alpha hosted infrastructure" could mean and for now I would call that total nonsense. Alpha has a partnership with Zebrahost who have a lot of expertise in hosting VPS with Alpha installed. For the backend you can virtually use anything SQL server, MySQL, Oracle, including SQLAzure & yes also Amazon Cloud.
            Last edited by Clipper87; 03-29-2013, 06:22 PM.
            Frank

            Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

              Originally posted by Clipper87 View Post
              Alpha has a partnership with Zebrahost who have a lot of expertise in hosting VPS with Alpha installed.
              If you don't want to use traditional VPS hosting solutions because they have always the hardware failure and backup problems available you can also use true cloud servers with Alpha to avoid this problems.

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                If you want to know where the company is going or what the status of things is, the best thing to do is to contact.... the company.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                  Marcel - the last time I asked Alpha a question, now several months ago, I never got an answer. I guess I was not 'special ' enough to merit an answer. So I look to those people who are 'special' enough to share what they know as they can. Not unreasonable to my way of thinking.
                  Regards,

                  John W.
                  www.CustomReportWriters.net

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                    Maybe not John. Maybe not. But personally when I need to know something that's important in relation to purchasing a product or not, I just grab a phone and ask them. Not unreasonable either, don't you think? E-mail is not always the best way to go, especially when your e-mail gets mixed up between thousands of others. When you look at some of Selwyn's instructional video's for example sometimes he has his email client open. There are literally hundreds of emails a day. Would he answer them all, no work gets done. I guess that goes for more people at Alpha. Best grab a phone and just ask them what you want to know instead of relying on others "having heard something" from "someone who knows" I would say.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                      IIS is real - not a rumour (for USA readers rumor :)
                      Our plan is Q2. The product is in beta and you can get the beta

                      Also one of the earlier posts on this thread said

                      "There is also a rumor (started by Alphas always appropriate sales man) that IIS support is made available only through Amazon Cloud servers. "
                      Not true

                      Firstly - we dont start rumors - our focus is on building productive software. Secondly IIS support will be available for self hosting or hosting at any ISP

                      Just email me at [email protected] for the beta and with any other questions please
                      Last edited by Richard Rabins; 03-29-2013, 05:45 PM.
                      Richard Rabins
                      Co Chairman
                      Alpha Software

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                        Originally posted by Richard Rabins View Post
                        IIS is real - not a rumour (for USA readers rumor :)
                        Our plan is Q2. The product is in beta and you can get the beta
                        That is great news, thank you very much. That removes our final blocker.

                        Chris

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                          Chris,

                          Make the call or the email. I'm sure he will tell you a lot more.
                          Dave Mason
                          [email protected]
                          Skype is dave.mason46

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                            With all due respect to Richard and the rest at Alpha, it's only fair to advise you Chris that Alpha told us (in marketing materials and the last roadmap published) that the IIS version would ship in Fall 2011. So I believe Richard and those at Alpha mean well, but even when they tell you what's coming down the line--which would seem less "rumo(u)red" if they'd publish anything--you can't really hold on to it. That said, while I won't be moving to v12 myself primarily because of the subscription model (cost and lack of control--I can't trust that they're going to work toward and/or actually fulfill enhancements and needs that I have), and Alpha has its flaws, I've been overall very pleased with v10 and v11. In short, the software's (sometimes buggy but otherwise) great; the people building it mean well and are wonderfully responsive to developers' needs but have lost my confidence in terms of things like roadmaps, business professionalism, documentation, etc. And I don't know who Marcel calls at Alpha, but their sales people have frequently given me bad information trying to make a sale, so I absolutely wouldn't go that route.

                            If I were you, I would weigh out your need for the mobile enhancements in v12. If that's a major factor, it's probably worth it; if not, go with version 11 (save your money) and use the non-standard web server we've all been using and/or try out an Abyss server setup (search on this forum for a recent post on it) in lieu of IIS.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Alpha Platform Roadmap - is it out there?

                              I am not going to get in a debate with Chris about his post. He is correct that IIS has taken us longer than we expected but it most certainly is coming.

                              I do want to make something very clear.

                              Version 12 is NOT only about mobile by any means. It has been designed to be a productive platform for building both web and mobile apps and as such the enhancements in Alpha Anywhere (v12) compared to v11 for the web development are vast along with the introduction of mobile.

                              The reason why we are so emphatic about v12 focusing on mobile and the desktop and laptop full web are outlined in this blog post we wrote in January http://alphasoftware.net/a-true-buil...ot-going-away/

                              Rather than talk in generalities please visit this page which has a LOT of info on v12 plus a LOT of videos http://news.alphasoftware.com/v12pre...seNotesV12.htm
                              Richard Rabins
                              Co Chairman
                              Alpha Software

                              Comment

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