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InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

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    InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

    http://www.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/02/09/13/020913hnaplha5.xml
    Richard Rabins
    Co Chairman
    Alpha Software

    #2
    RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

    Richard, it's really nice to see such a comprehensive positive review on Ver. 5. Good Job.

    -Barry

    Comment


      #3
      RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

      Thanks Barry

      InfoWorld is one of the "classic" and most respected PC/IT publications. It is good that they understand how Alpha Five v5 is positioned in the marketplace.

      I will try and keep this board posted on other articles as they arise.

      If people have suggestions of publications that you think will be interested in Alpha Five (or PR suggestions in general), please post replies to this thread or email me at [email protected]

      Thanks
      richard rabins
      Richard Rabins
      Co Chairman
      Alpha Software

      Comment


        #4
        RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

        Richard:

        Well, now that you mention it...

        It seems to me there are several avenues that can and will bring notariety to Alpha Five. Some are obvious, some not. I think we would all like to see your product on store shelves and see more reviews in major articles.

        But what about seeking another audience. Most new computers come with one or two well known software titles, usually Word, perhaps Excel. Very rare is it that a new computer is shipped with application software. Access is usually only included on machines ordered with the MS Office package.

        Have you considered contacting a few PC manufacturers and offering an extended trial version that can be shipped on their PC's? I'd suggest a 60 day version allowing a new user the time to really look over the software, and allowing the PC seller to boast a special 60 day version is on the computer.

        In return, perhaps the PC company could supply an email list of purchasers, or a mailing list.

        I'd also look to get the standard 30 day trial version on as many promotional CD's as possible. Seems to me Ziff Davis gives out these types of CD's to encourage renewal... And remember, a large number of people out there are still using dial up, making a download from the website a time consuming obstacle. Anyway, I'd get that trial version everywhere I could, even if it's version 4.5! I think it's a safe bet to say AOL is the most common ISP because free trial CD's are everywhere...

        I'm sure you've already given thought to these ideas, but I figured I'd get this thread rolling...

        Craig

        Comment


          #5
          RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

          Craig,

          Killer Idea!

          Now...let's take it a step further.

          Until I had my hands on Alpha5 and spent some time in this forum, I had no idea how versatile, powerful and easy to use Alpha5 really was.

          I have found myself reading every thread in this forum and downloading virtually every database submitted by fellow users. By looking at the creations of other users, I gain insight into the never ending potential of Alpha5. I get new ideas for my apps and often find solutions to a problem I have been experiencing or would experience were it not for this forum.

          That being said, I would suggest that Alpha include with their "Free-Trial" a library of applications submitted by us, the current users of the product.

          Simple apps that make our daily lives a little more organized could be included as freeware and the code could be left unprotected so the user could see how others have developed their apps.

          More complex apps could be included as "Free-Trial" software that would demonstrate Alpha5's power, while providing those of us who wish to market our apps a vehicle to do so.

          The PC manufacturer wins, the potential new user wins, Alpha wins and we win.

          Louis

          Comment


            #6
            RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

            Very nice article Richard. I hope to see some rave reviews in the UK magazines soon.

            Keith Hubert
            London.
            Regards
            Keith Hubert
            Alpha Guild Member
            London.
            KHDB Management Systems
            Skype = keith.hubert


            For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!

            Comment


              #7
              RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

              Louis,

              "...downloading virtually every database submitted by fellow users. By looking at the creations of other users, I gain insight...."

              So true. I do the same. I love how the questions force you to go inside someone else's work. Profoundly educational, at least for me.

              Along these lines, I wonder if you have run across the thread a while back in which people submitted screen shots of their application forms. That was remarkable and really illustrated how creative people are.

              Certainly it would have been in the V4.x forum but I can't remember how far back it was. Perhaps a year or so.

              (Another great thread was Tom Cone's browse challenge which attracted many interesting submissions.)


              Bill
              Bill Hanigsberg

              Comment


                #8
                RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                Bill,

                No, I've not seen the thread with the screen shots, but would like to.

                With regard to Tom's browse challenge...I searched the v5 forum by "cone". I found an interesting thread related to preventing a new record from being added in the browse without the user first having to press a button to allow the add.

                Is this the thread you were referring to? If not, do you remember the subject of the thread?

                Louis

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                  thank you for all the comments so far (i hope there will be many more!..the collective creativity of the Alpha User Community is a pretty impressive force:))

                  re Keith's point -- we are releasing a UK press release this week and will start PR work in the UK and other countries imminently!
                  Richard Rabins
                  Co Chairman
                  Alpha Software

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                    A lot of excellent Ideas!

                    We have been in touch with hardware companies and will see how this develops.

                    Keep the ideas coming thanks!

                    Regards
                    Richard Rabins
                    Richard Rabins
                    Co Chairman
                    Alpha Software

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                      Louis,

                      The threads (in the V4 forum) are:
                      -FreshenBrowse Challenge
                      -Screenshots

                      The search feature brings them up immediately. The browse thread may be a bit obsolete as I believe version 5 manages this issue better but I haven't really tested. Regardless, the many submissions and discussion of their differences/strengths/weaknesses is illuminating.

                      "Screenshots" is just fun.

                      Regards,
                      Bill
                      Bill Hanigsberg

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                        Thanks Bill

                        I'll check them out.

                        Louis

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                          I thought the article in Info World was great. I passed it on to my son who works for a company that uses nothing but Access; their IT department has never heard of Alpha products. I'm sure he will pass the article on to his friends in that department.

                          Info World is read by the more technically-oriented portion of the computing community, and they are probably where the big bucks are. However, it seems to me that an article or two in magazines aimed at novices and/or the home market woudn't hurt. I found in my working life that managers who often make or influence software decisions are very often not in the "expert" catagory computer-wise, yet they respond to articles and advertisements they see in such magazines. Also, if users in the home find a reason to use Alpha Five and become comfortable with it, they may bring it to the office, especially to small businesses that are just getting into the idea of using databases instead of spreadsheets. Maybe an article in the "SmartComputing" publications would interest home users and eventually get Alpha Five into companies where these readers work.

                          A lot of computer magazines on the newstands aimed at different groups of computer users offer CDs containing numerous demos and limited-time applications. UK magazines really seem to go for this. Perhaps there is some way to include a trial copy of Alpha Five on such CDs.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                            I don't know how much this matters but I would like to explain how I got into programming to begin with. Many moons ago when I bought my Tandy 1000 from Radio Shack there was a program that can with it which many of us heard. This program was Q&A. I found it to be fun and easy. It really turned me onto computers and programming because I felt it was easy to learn. I am not saying to give it away, however maybe a much simpler version or a trial version of an older version of Alpha could be a way of getting it to the market to more people.

                            Just thought I would put my 2 cents in!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: InfoWorld Article on version 5 of Alpha FIve

                              please keep the suggestions coming.

                              If you belong to a professional organization and would like to present Alpha Five (or can introduce Alpha Five by another means), please let me know. We can supply some product as a member raffle and/or some Alpha Five T shirts.

                              richard rabins
                              [email protected]
                              Richard Rabins
                              Co Chairman
                              Alpha Software

                              Comment

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