Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

[Paullm]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Funny! This video reminds me of our elected representatives ... Democrats and Republicans ... attempting to work together, (not!), to fix the country's problems.

Ted: "mid-life kicker"? ... never heard it called that, but I think you are spot on.

I (and many others) did not come onboard with Version 11 until very late in the game. I always do this with software upgrades, for two main reasons:

1. that's when the best deals tend to be offered by software vendors ... when a new release is in the works and they want to get as many of their old-version users onto the current version. (That's a win-win for both parties).
2. many/most of the bugs have, by then, been worked out so I am not the guinea pig.

Certainly, there is somewhat of an "opportunity cost" by not upgrading early, but everyone's situation and software needs are different.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

it's quite obvious that most of the a5 users on this forum don't maintain subscriptions

And what if the majority of the installed base never visits the forum and are quite satisfied with the subscription plan. No longer so simple?

companies.png

[SNusa]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

And what if the majority of the installed base never visits the forum and are quite satisfied with the subscription plan. No longer so simple?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35012[/ATTACH]

The notion that a majority of the subscribers are quite satisfied and thus never visit the forum is beyond absurd. Besides: How many present subscribes (even those working with the "web side" who had renewed their subscription last time around) are satisfied today, given the premise/promise that extensive tablet & "smart-phone" integration was to be released in v.11? If Alpha doesn't take care of present subscribers on this matter (those who bough into v.11 multi-thousand $$ subscriptions expecting these features) they will only further compromise their credibility.

I had anticipated delving into a5 tablet & "smart-phone" development next fall/winter. (I am presently still working on Xbasic skills and the desktop.)* ~ So I was not directly effected, not yet anyways. Nevertheless I had renewed my subscription with the expectation of having these tablet/"smart-phone" tools & capabilities available from my v.11 subscription so that they could be used once I became ready to use them.) In order to obtain features I have already paid for: I for one am not throwing any more subscription $$ down the "wishing well." Consequently, instead of thinking about the future of Alpha, I find myself evaluating alternative products. ~ I suspect hundreds of other developers are "in this same boat" whether or not they are willing to admit it here on the forum. (And it's a shame that this is occurring in the first place.)

*For which I might add desktop support (aka bug fixes) was severely lacking at best during much of the current active subscription cycle. Alpha was "too preoccupied" IMO with other projects to give desktop subscribers (all v.11 customers for that matter) the support they had both expected & ultimately deserved/paid for. The problem here is sever enough that a recent survey regarding unresolved desktop bugs was sent out to active desktop users by a a longtime and well respected forum member. (A survey containing severity ratings of many pre-existing desktop bugs, which will be presented to Alpha, who incidentally is aware of and presumably had authorized it's distribution in advance.) ~ Alpha did not guarantee that it would result in any fixes, but they did at least agree to review it.

While the residual impact of Alphasoftwares present course remains to be seen: I suspect that renewal subscription time will quantify this "moment of truth" and either prove or disprove my concerns here.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Sorry, I knew I'd regret posting that. Broke one of my own rules.

[SNusa]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Sorry, I knew I'd regret posting that. Broke one of my own rules.

Hi Stan;

So you "felt that one coming", huh? ~ No worries, anything that makes other think and offer feedback is a good thing.... (I think)
I worked very diligently over the past two years trying to send and document bug reports. (A largely philanthropic side effect of trying to learn a5 desktop the right way.) ~ Honestly, I put my head & heart into a5 over the past few years, at the expense of doing other things. (which justifiably explains my uneasiness & concerns)

Besides: Alpha needs to hear the good, the bad and the "ugly." Doing so can only provide them (as a company) the opportunity to react "proactively." It reminds me how most company "Customer Retention Departments" operate: If and when you change providers, such as going from cable to satellite, or from one phone company to another.... They always react too late after the sale is completely lost. (Had the cable company reacted proactively, "before the cable gets cut & the new dish goes up", at least they have an "open window" to save the account & keep the $$ flowing. (Unfortunately most companies can't even evaluate the severity of a problem, or that there even is a significant problem in the first place, until it shows up in cash flow. ~ And small companies in particular don't tend to "weather this storm" very well.)

"Customer Retention Departments" could make more money for their company by closing the whole department and thus cutting company overhead."
~But the phone call plea(s) that they make sure are entertaining!

[SNusa]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

And what if the majority of the installed base never visits the forum and are quite satisfied with the subscription plan. No longer so simple?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]35012[/ATTACH]

Just to add a humorous "afterthought" to your image: Don't forget the heavy adoption inside our nation's capital, Washington DC! I had read that Alpha was (at one point) used within the White House, as in OUR White House. (This sounded quite "impressive" at first. But upon further research I came to the understanding that it was being used by one reception desk, to keep records pertaining to "White House Tours." ~ Or something like that as the story goes.)

[kkfin]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Rule 3

[mronck]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Just to add a humorous "afterthought" to your image: Don't forget the heavy adoption inside our nation's capital, Washington DC! I had read that Alpha was (at one point) used within the White House, as in OUR White House. (This sounded quite "impressive" at first. But upon further research I came to the understanding that it was being used by one reception desk, to keep records pertaining to "White House Tours." ~ Or something like that as the story goes.)

So? Is the reception desk outside of the White House then, or were you saying such an application is totally irrelevant and unimportant?
I would say it is a nice thing to have your application inside of the White House if it were only to keep a record of the used toilet paper of the servants-toilet.
Besides everything else, it's someone's hard labor. You gotta respect that at some time. Someone did his very best to create this Alpha software application and there is no reason to belittle that.

Rule 3.

[SNusa]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Marcel, I made a humorous reference/rebuttal to counteract the exaggerations/breadth/depth of a5's usage in large corporations within the marketplace. Just because a company like Ford Motor credit may be using it "somewhere", (and the same goes for UPS etc. etc. etc.) it doesn't mean it's their "enterprise solution" by any means. I'm sure they deploy other industry standard methods to "fry the big fish." ~ I don't understand why you would make a "defensive" response/post like you did. At no point did I make any derogatory or disrespectful remark regarding any developers efforts. (I've never ever ever done that!) ~ Coding takes talent, and I for one have the up-most respect for both quality software & it's producers.

Alpha5 may in fact be used by large corporations at some levels, but IMO: To make it appear as if a5 is the "go-to solution" is somewhat misleading, particularly to "newbies."

[mronck]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Well Robert, nowhere was ever stated that it were "enterprise solutions", now was it? Nonetheless, you use that words as to prove that the notations of Alpha that their product is used by (let's say) UPS is an "exaggeration" as you name it. Though Alpha never ever stated that their product was used in combination with any qualification or level of the resulting application. So yes, I find that belittling of Alpha of which really is no need and grew old long time ago.

Furthermore, every company likes to show itself from the sunny side. That's nothing special. I guess that you yourself will also not promote your developer skills by venting your biggest mistakes, would you?

I think there is nothing wrong by offering some counterweight to the always negative sense of your posts with regards to Alpha (humorous?). I think that Alpha is proud to be delivering to these companies (for whatever product it may be used) and I also think that our colleague developer is proud to have an application in the White House (for whatever function). And rightfully so.

[kkfin]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

There is a difference between brands Alpha5 and Alpha five. Bad choice from Alpha or they have not protected their brand as they should.
I must say same thing is with name : xbasic. Bad name.

I hope they have better luck with alpha-anywhere but I think they do not own anywhere.com. So At the moment seems to be bad choice again..

[DaveM]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Well,

I have an application used by Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Chevrolet, BMW, Dodge, Toyota, Subaru, Nissan, Saab, Cadillac, Jaguar, Buick, Hyundai, Lincoln, Kia, GMC, Mazda, and most others. Well........, The dealers use it. That's close enough, RIGHT??

[DaveM]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Ken,

I am pretty sure that the name "alpha" was in use before our alpha went to the web. I tried a long time ago to find alpha on the web and the other alpha was what I found. I never thought of alphasoftware at the time. Of course, I could have registered many of the popular names of today and made a lot of money. Who knew then??

alphabasic would have been better to me?

[jkwrpc]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

Before this thread gets too far afield can we set it back on track. The remaining question I was seeking clarification on,was whether or not v12 will only be available by subscription? Such is the the pretty clear inference I read from the recent promo emails. I continue to hope we will also be able to purchase the v12 licenses via the old ala Carte method.

If and when someone can answer that with some degree of certainty I would appreciate knowing.

[SNusa]

Re: Can anyone clarify the recent Alpha mailing

I doubt that there is any straight and clear answer to this at present. Even if there is one (at present), I wouldn't count on it being "absolute."