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Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

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    Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

    .
    Dear Alpha Software,
    I am happy that after three years of work you finally rolled out Alpha Five v12. Although I still have not had the occasion to try it, in all probability it is a terrific product. At the moment, I have Alpha Five v11 Developer, Runtime and Server and would love to upgrade from v11 to v12. After reading your website's Buy page, I would be grateful if you could clarify, with a straightforward Yes/No, the following doubt that I have:

    If I purchase an Alpha Five Developer v12 One Year Term License, and a year and a day after purchasing Microsoft makes a modification to its Windows operating system that causes my Alpha Five Developer v12 not to function properly, will Alpha Software provide me with the fixes? (It is clear to me that access to any enhancements, such as new features, is terminated after my one year period).


    I would also be grateful for a Yes/No answer regarding the Alpha Anywhere Application Server, under the same circumstances.





    Best regards,
    Felix
    .
    Last edited by Rida Alhasan; 07-09-2013, 11:05 AM.

    #2
    Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

    .
    Dear All,
    This inquiry has not been answered, maybe because:
    A) Alpha Software values it as unimportant or not relevant
    B) Alpha Software considers that the answer has already been stated in its website, forums ...
    C) The question has not been clearly expressed or is ambiguous

    As the issue is of value to me, if the cause of it not being answered is "B" (the answer has already been stated), I would appreciate if somebody could indicate where information on the matter can be found.




    Thank you,
    Felix
    .

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

      I would say 'd' they don't know the answer and will cross that bridge when they come to it. Do remember how long it took to get an answer to v10/10.5 being compatible with Win v8. It was not and many of us were forced to buy A5v11 because of it.
      Regards,

      John W.
      www.CustomReportWriters.net

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

        Felix, your question is a bit more complex than it seems and it stems from the fact that everyone has different subscription start and end dates. For example, if v12 spans several years, then many subscribers who stopped subscribing during that time period could conceivably each be using an official release or release candidate of v12 with slightly (or vastly) different features and fixes. Would that mean that Alpha would be expected to apply the Windows fix to each version being used? I don't think so.

        One way your scenario could be addressed, I think reasonably so, is for Alpha to charge a fee for the "new Windows fixed version" to each former subscriber depending on how long their subscription had lapsed. For example, if the normal monthly subscription rate is $100 and your subscription had lapsed for 3 months, then you would be charged no more than $300 for the upgrade, which would include all new features up to that point (hopefully at some discount to that). If your subscription had lapsed for 14 months, then the most you have to pay, obviously, is a one year's subscription. Again, hopefully there would be some discounting for existing customers.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

          .
          Hi Tom,
          In the case being exposed, no new features or enhancements are requested nor expected. What is asked is that the product continue to function properly, as before the theoretical Windows modification was introduced.

          Of course, you make a valid point. Let us suppose that after Microsoft modifies the Windows OS, fonts in Alpha Five Developer v12 are all color red. If my Alpha Five Developer v12 has 1000 features and somebody else's has 995 features (because his subscription terminated, say, a month before mine), then the Alpha Five patch should fix our common red color fonts problem, leaving us with 1000 features and 995 features, respectively.

          I suppose that is what Alpha Five does with v11. If somebody purchases the base Alpha Five Developer v11 and another person purchases the base plus a feature pack, the red color font fix would leave both installations functioning properly, the first one still with only the base and the second with the base plus the feature pack. The difference between v11 and v12 is that in v12 it seems there are no independent feature packs (I'm not really sure about this) so maybe it would mean some technical difficulties for Alpha Software.

          The thing is, I'd like to have my Alpha Five Developer v12 functioning properly, regardless of modifications in Windows (or MySQL, for that matter), just like my v11.



          Regards,
          Felix
          .

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

            Neither Microsoft nor Alpha can be beholden to the other. Both will make the best effort to keep things running. As a developer you have to expect that new versions - of your tools or the underlying OS - are going to break things. You aren't buying clip art software or a home accounting package. Alpha is a serious professional tool and it comes with serious professional tool expectations on both sides - developer and provider. Development tools that have subscriptions are very clear. If you are a part of the program you get fixes, if you are not a current subscriber then you must live at the mercy of the environment. I have subs to at least 5 other tools and they all operate the same way. If my sub is current, I get the fixes. If not, I hope for the kindness of the tool provider to give me something out of a desire to get it running. Alpha has always been kind.

            There is no way that Alpha or anyone can guarantee future platform events. Have you ever developed with any other vendors? How about Adobe? They launch and kill platforms at the drop of a hat. Liked Flash Mobile? - whoops sorry. All of the majors have a history of changing pricing, changing programs, killing software. Go take a look at the message boards on Adobe switching CS suite to a subscription model. The point is - developer tools are a rough business; things change quickly.

            It is also unrealistic that they should be held responsible for changes the dev made to his or her machine. I have machines running windows 2000 because the very unique tools I need only work on Windows 2000. If there is a change to Windows, you as the maintainer of that environment, need to decide whether or not to change to the newer version of windows. Do the benefits of the change outweigh the costs? Every update Tuesday, I have to monitor the Microsoft hotfixes to see what will break existing software and what won't on hundreds of machines. That is the norm of the industry.

            I don't mean to pile on but the bottom line is that while I, like many, think the current pricing model is untenable, there has to be reasonable expectations of Alpha. Expecting them to have bug fixes for other companies' changes forever is not realistic.

            My answer is that I would expect that Alpha make the best effort possible but you as the user, should expect to the onus to be on you and not expect Alpha to take care of it. If they do, be pleasantly surprised.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

              .
              Michael,
              Yes, your reasoning is solid. In a subscription model, once your subscription ends (or the tool developer drops the product or goes out of business) you have to "hope for the best and prepare for the worst". In previous versions of Alpha Five Developer, such as v11, we had the option of buying instead of subscribing, and if the "environment" became unfriendly, Alpha Software would be kind to us.


              In any case, I'd be grateful if Alpha Software stated in this thread, in a clear and unambiguous manner, something like:
              Yes, we will provide you with the necessary patches even after the subscription period has ended so that your installation will keep functioning properly, (although no more features or enhancements) during: the product's lifetime/two years after your subscription ends/till Avatar II.

              No, once your subscription period is over, its over.




              Regards,
              Felix
              .

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

                I think Alpha has made it pretty clear that the answer is "NO". if you want updates to v12, you will need a subscription. If one is solely a Dt user, there is no need to upgrade to v12 since v11 will still be supported, which means there are no enhancements for the DT in v12, It’s the same as v11. The only difference between v11 and v12 DT is that the v11 feature packs are included in v12.
                TYVM :) kenn

                Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

                  Originally posted by Rida Alhasan View Post
                  .
                  Dear Alpha Software,
                  I am happy that after three years of work you finally rolled out Alpha Five v12. Although I still have not had the occasion to try it, in all probability it is a terrific product.

                  IMO and based on people who were active in beta testing - it is pretty terrific - btw here is a brand new video of examples http://vimeo.com/69909140


                  At the moment, I have Alpha Five v11 Developer, Runtime and Server and would love to upgrade from v11 to v12. After reading your website's Buy page, I would be grateful if you could clarify, with a straightforward Yes/No, the following doubt that I have:

                  If I purchase an Alpha Five Developer v12 One Year Term License, and a year and a day after purchasing Microsoft makes a modification to its Windows operating system that causes my Alpha Five Developer v12 not to function properly, will Alpha Software provide me with the fixes? (It is clear to me that access to any enhancements, such as new features, is terminated after my one year period).


                  I would also be grateful for a Yes/No answer regarding the Alpha Anywhere Application Server, under the same circumstances.

                  In the scenario described - ie Microsoft makes some change that causes Alpha not to work in Windows 9 relative soon after your your access to updates/new features expires - Yes will make this fix available to you.

                  There will be mailing going out tomorrow or friday that explains that Alpha Anywhere (v12) is available two ways.

                  historical license model - you buy it (developer / runtime/ app server) and you have a perpetual license with 12 months of updates / new features etc. You can continue to use everything indefinitely

                  or

                  you go for the subscription model and you get continuous updates/ new features





                  Best regards,
                  Felix
                  .
                  Richard Rabins
                  Co Chairman
                  Alpha Software

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Alpha Five v12 question for Alpha Software

                    Originally posted by forskare View Post
                    I think Alpha has made it pretty clear that the answer is "NO". if you want updates to v12, you will need a subscription. If one is solely a Dt user, there is no need to upgrade to v12 since v11 will still be supported, which means there are no enhancements for the DT in v12, It’s the same as v11. The only difference between v11 and v12 DT is that the v11 feature packs are included in v12.
                    Ken - with all due respect - your statement about about no enhancement for the DT in v12 is just not consistent with the facts.
                    Yes if you are building browser based or mobile applications - Alpha Anywhere gives you massive benefits.
                    BUT even for DT users there are important benefits.

                    For example -

                    Major enhancements to xbasic
                    Reporting - now reports can also be html - with the ability to export Word, Excel, Text with formatting and formulas (for excel)
                    Reporting - other enhancements
                    Tremendous enhancements to components that can be used on the Desktop.
                    Richard Rabins
                    Co Chairman
                    Alpha Software

                    Comment

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