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Home Edition

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    #16
    RE: Home Edition

    Yes, thats why I am going to get back into Alpha. For $99 you cant beat it. I remember I loved Alpha Four V6. I got pretty good at creating apps and with the script language it had. I am looking forward to catching up with whats new. And if I get good enough and need it, I will upgrade later.

    Jason

    Comment


      #17
      RE: Home Edition

      Jason

      In your case, the new Home edition is the best move. Moving from a DOS based database to any Windows based product has a fairly steep learning curve. Alpha 5 is about as easy as it gets, but you will have to re-adjust your thinking with an object oriented environment. Even much of the terminology is different.

      There are many posts about moving from DOS to A5. The best way is to just start from stratch with something new. The built-in sample, Alpha Sports, is a great learning tool since it uses many of the features of the product. Spend some time there. And when you need help, search the forum or ask questions.

      Have fun

      Jerry

      Comment


        #18
        RE: Home Edition

        Hey Jerry,

        I plan on having fun. Like I've said, this is for personal use more than anything else, so I dont have the stress of trying to make something on a business level. As long as I can hold off my wife on getting her applications switched over from VB to A5 until I get the hand of things I will be ok. I am familiar with the windows style of doing things as I have played with Visual Basic for many years. I have downloaded the demo of A5 and find creating forms a lot like VB. But as you have said, going from the DOS version to the Win version will definitely have its diffences. Now, as soon as they put the link on the page to buy it, I can get started.

        Jason

        Comment


          #19
          RE: Home Edition

          I can see leaving out the multi user features for the home edition, but leaving out xdialog? That's one of the neater features that I'd want to show off. IMHO

          Russ

          Comment


            #20
            RE: Home Edition

            Russ

            Unless I misunderstood the promo, xdialog is available, but the genie is missing. Xdialog is an intergral part of V5 so I don't see how to eliminate it. Without the genie, however, you on your own for coding.

            Jerry

            Comment


              #21
              RE: Home Edition

              Hi Jerry,

              Since we are talking about terminology here:

              Alpha is a obect base environment, not an object oriented environment. There is much difference between the two. I believe the only true object oriented environment that's not an application development tool, but rather a database is visual FoxPro.

              I'm not sure about "Magic" or some of the others out there.

              Alpha, Access or Pardox do not support inheritance, that why they are obect base, not object oriented.

              RF-ARS-Motorola

              Comment


                #22
                RE: Home Edition

                the Home edition is in fact a new option

                We will be officially announcing it this week and it will be available for sale early in the week.
                Thanks
                Richard Rabins
                Richard Rabins
                Co Chairman
                Alpha Software

                Comment


                  #23
                  RE: Home Edition

                  Hi Ray

                  What about Access is this object oriented environment and
                  What is the difference I have seen the term several times
                  Referencing Alpha5 Quote from this MSG board "one of the hardest thing when moving from Ver4 to Ver5 is getting
                  Used to object oriented programming.

                  Thank you
                  Ray

                  Comment


                    #24
                    RE: Home Edition

                    Hi Ray

                    Sorry I looked over your post to fast I see Access is not
                    Object oriented environment but still what is the difference
                    And is Microsoft Visual Basic Object oriented environment
                    What are the advantiages/disadvantiages for each one?

                    Ray

                    Comment


                      #25
                      RE: Home Edition

                      Ray,

                      Please note that Alpha is an extremely powerful database programming system, extremely easy to use for beginners, this is a winning combination than no other software can match.

                      There is tremendous amount of information online about object-oriented systems, but here are the answers to your questions in a nutshell.

                      A object-oriented environments supports the following:

                      Please note that I used the terms classes and objects interchangeably only for this message. Another "OOPS" programmer might take offense with this.

                      Polymorphism (Late binding)
                      Several versions of a given method across several related classess.
                      Example the method "closed", one method used by multiple objects
                      Form.Close;
                      Report.Close;
                      etc.Close;
                      Pretty much all database and development tools support this.


                      Encapsulation
                      Methods that are hidden inside classes / objects. (A black box where you don't know about the internal workings, but you know how to interface with the object through properties and events)
                      Pretty much all database and development tools support this.


                      Inheritance (usually associated with classes)
                      The ability to clone an object/class and create a new object from the original. (This is an extremely simple definition, but is what sets a object-oriented language from an object based language).

                      Only larger development tools support this.

                      Yes, Visual Basic 6 or later (.NET) is a true object-oriented language because you can inherit from classes.

                      Sincerely,
                      RF-ARS-Motorola

                      Comment


                        #26
                        RE: Home Edition

                        Hi Ray

                        Thank you
                        Ray

                        Comment


                          #27
                          RE: Home Edition

                          Hi Ray:

                          While I agree that there are not many (truly) object-oriented PC based RDBMS's, I question the productivity of such RDMS's (although I have used Visual FoxPro & Dbase 2000).

                          In general, I question the *productivity* of any object oriented language(s) in realm of business.

                          Most business programmers don't give a (insert adjective here) care about inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, re-usability, etc., especially if it adds overhead/learning curve/cost to a project.

                          The bottom line only cares about results... now.

                          My feeling is that all database programming should be table based/oriented, not object based.

                          I don't know of any research document/study, etc. that has ever demonstrated that object oriented programming has ever resulted in more efficient programmming.

                          For my own preference, every data dictionary/field rule, etc. should be based on a table (even Alpha's), not a memo field(s), or some other (not so stable) structure.

                          A database, whether flat, relational, C/S, other, etc. is the ultimate medium for storing/saving/editing/retrieving rules, data, or whatever. Why not use a RDBMS system for everything?

                          Come to think of it, why isn't every OS more of RDBMS?

                          It only seems natural.

                          For food for thought, See: http://www.geocities.com/tablizer/top.htm

                          Cheers,

                          George

                          Comment


                            #28
                            RE: Home Edition

                            George,

                            If you knew the power of inheritance you would make such statements. Just for the record, I can do more with one line with object Pascal that you can with a hundred lines of x-basic.

                            One of the reasons Alpha exist is because it was written in a language which supports inheritance.

                            I understand that maybe you don't wish to undertake the extreme learning curve of a true OOP language, but the power of inheritance is to reduce code, not increase it.

                            All things being equal, which of course they are not. I do things in seconds that would take days or weeks in any other language that doesn't support inheritance.

                            Sincerely,
                            RF-ARS-Motorola

                            Comment


                              #29
                              RE: Home Edition

                              The Home edition is now listed on Alpha Five Products page (just before Add-Ons). I'm recommending it to many database users in local PC Users' Group.

                              Comment


                                #30
                                RE: Home Edition

                                Thank you, Robert!

                                -Jeannette
                                UG Liaison, Alpha Software

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