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Alpha Five compared to Access

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    Alpha Five compared to Access

    We are looking to add a comperehensive section on the web site that outlines how Alpha Five compares to Access.

    If any of you have any thoughts, ideas or feedback on this topic -- please email me directly at [email protected]

    We are looking for overall thoughts as well as specific features that might exist in Alpha Five but do not exist in MS Access.

    (As awareness for Alpha Five continues to build -- many prospective users are hungry for information on this topic)

    THANKS
    richard rabins
    Alpha Software
    Richard Rabins
    Co Chairman
    Alpha Software

    #2
    RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

    Richard,


    I would be most interested in the analysis/summary of this project to show to our management, etc.

    Thank you,

    JG
    Houston, TX
    281-579-4546

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

      John, we are working on this.

      In the meantime, if you want to schedule a Net Meeting with one two of your senior folks, please contact me at [email protected]

      also have you looked at

      http://www.alphasoftware.com/products/a5v5/features/quicker.asp
      Richard Rabins
      Co Chairman
      Alpha Software

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

        take a look at this document as well that one of our customers prepared
        Richard Rabins
        Co Chairman
        Alpha Software

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

          You need to make sure of course that these are accurate. If you say something is hard in Access and the Access guy knows it's not, you've lost all credibiity.

          Here's two things: Show the prompted report using the new multi-select list box feature. Requires coding in Access.

          Also throw the Calendar smart field on a form and show how it works without code. That requires VB in Access.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

            I've not worked with Access, but the description I've been given is that Alpha allows modest users to do a lot in field rules and setting up the database that requires writing code in Access.
            Another element is that Alpha Five is more flexible than Access in allowing the reuse of sets for different reports. Access seems to confine users to its method of set development while Alpha Five is mix and match within reason. I can copy and paste calculated fields between reports and paste reports between sets in Alpha.
            Access users seem to find it hard to concatinate first, middle and last names for example and are surprized at the ease of doing this in Alpha. Alpha instantly calculates the user's string function result which provides for a fast user experience loop while Access might well skip this.
            Any details like this will lower the slope of the learning curve.

            Dave

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

              Hello Richard,

              This is a great topic, I would like to see more on.

              After testing out your program, the once aspet I would point out over Access, is the power of field rules.

              In Access, there will be lots of VBA to accomplish what a simple point and click in Alpha would accomplish.

              Thanks,
              Scott

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                We have a comparison page on our site currently at

                http://www.alphasoftware.com/products/a5v5/features/quicker.asp

                Please take a look at this page and you will see some examples of the benefits of Alpha Five.

                What would be REALLY WONDERUL is if any/all of you who have commented on this thread could send to me a document (short or long, edited or in need of editing) showing off an example(s) of how something is done in Access and then how the same thing is done in Alpha Five.

                We could then expand this comparison page and make it truly useful in convincing clients, prospective clients, co workers, bosses, IT folks and the world at large why Alpha Five is a better choice than the product from the folks in Redmond WA. (Please also take note of Tom Mills comments)

                Looking forward to some great documents.

                THANKS
                Richard Rabins
                Alpha Software
                Richard Rabins
                Co Chairman
                Alpha Software

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                  Coding for a multi-value selection from a list to perform various operations is beyond my ability to code in Access, I bet it would be a real eye opener compared to the new feature in Action Scripting. A tutor already exists for Action Scripting. Anyone want to take a crack at the Access code?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                    I actually have some of that code (my assistant did it! - Always hire smart assistants) If Richard needs it, let me know.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                      Pardon me if this is somewhat off topic, but considering the posts this topic is gathering, it seems like it could be a great place to glean some info about my predicament.

                      I have been developing apps using Lotus Approach for many years. Extensive apps. I've pushed it about as far as it can go. I still am very addicted to it's ease of use, but am needing to make a switch to a more full featured development platform. So, what are my choices? Access, Alpha5, Clarion, Filemaker...

                      Filemaker, other than it's web features is basically a step backward. You can't even fully customize the menus (well, maybe the Scripts and Help menu).

                      Clarion, well, it's pretty expensive and utilizes a proprietary native data format.

                      Access... well.. Access.. I've done some minor stuff in access... hacked around in a client's Access based accounting system. It is pretty powerful, but I just can't seem to bring myself to terms with it's methodology. It's SO far off from what I'm used to that it just seems like a total waste of time... much like I've read here, it can take MUCH more time to accomplish an action in access than it can in Alpha5 (and Approach).

                      That leaves Alpha5. I purchased A5v4 last year sometime and haven't really sunk my teeth into it yet, but am now seriously considering it for an upcoming project.

                      So, I'm really looking forward to some good posts, since my choices have basically been narrowed down to A5 and Access.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                        Roy:
                        If you're addicted to Approach's ease of use but want more power, I don't think there's any question - you want A5! I've done a little in each of dBASE, FoxPro, Visual FoxPro, Approach, Alpha Five and a couple of others, and would agree that Approach and Alpha Five are the easiest of those to use. But Approach isn't being improved, and Alpha Five is just starting to "move". I've looked at Access, and like you, was uncomfortable with it's "methodology".

                        I haven't used A5v5 yet, but would still advise you to upgrade to it right away. If you got A5v4.5 last year and still have receipt, you may still be able to get the rebate from Alpha

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                          You don't have a choice - it's A5v5 or bust. The last company I worked for used Approach and it always amazed me that many engineers who had very little database background were able to 'take it to it's limits' in just a few weeks. In other words, I feel it had a very limited capability. With A5 you will have FAR more capability to do whatever you need to do and you will be doing it far faster than with Access.

                          Also, with Alpha's webserver due out in a few months (no date set but indications are sometime in the first part of next year) this will add significant advantages.

                          Finally, a number of new users have commented that this message board (actually, the version xx boards) is worth the price of the software so don't hesitate to go there to ask questions.

                          I'll be looking forward to seeing your questions on the board.

                          Cal

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                            Just don't use indexes as an example. The v.5 post of 11/12 concerning indexes asked:

                            "I want to create an unique index on a comination of 4 fields i.e. name,policy no, date, receipt no,to avoid dublicate entries being added to the table. How is it done in Alpha five."

                            This process is a couple of mouse clicks in Access. The list has yet to figure ot how to do it in Alpha...

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Alpha Five compared to Access

                              Brad, using Alpha Five there are several ways to prevent the entry of new records that contain field values which duplicate field values found in existing records. In some cases duplication of records is desired, but for reporting purposes it's sometimes useful to only show one of each. An index can be defined which only shows unique values, and is very handy in this case. However, I don't believe it will actually prevent duplicates from being entered in the first place. That is usually achieved by other means. For example, field rule validation routines are commonly used (there's a built-in uniqueness test option) and it's also possible to build custom validation routines on the data entry forms themselves. Alpha Five is very flexible in this regard.

                              I believe the delay in solving the user's problem which you mention is due to confusion about what it is that the user wants to achieve, rather than difficulty using indexes.

                              -- tom

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