V8 release date

[PeterSC]

Quote from Alpha Software here in South Africa:

"They are talking about releasing end of December mid jan"

Can anyone confirm/deny or offer more info?

[PeterSC]

V8 Release Date

To clarify my previous post. The release date quoted - "They are talking about releasing end of December mid jan" seem to be the expected US release , not only South Africa"

Any further info would be appreciated.

[rfha]

Re: V8 release date

I was told last week that the release date was the first week in December, maybe earlier.

[Mortie]

Re: V8 release date

Sales indicated to me mid December

I would be curious how many 139 dollars they are now using in cash flow, without the release?

[rfha]

Re: V8 release date

Yes, with their history of special sales that end on X date and then are repeated multiple times with the same prices, I also wonder.

The new offer comes with either a download or boxed product. I asked if I could order the boxed product and still download on the release date. Yes, I could do that, BUT I would have to order the boxed version and then call back ON the release date so that they could authorized the download as a special case!!!

Now when was the last time anyone ever heard such nonsense!

I did place my order and have been wondering ever since if I made a mistake. The promo stuff so far just says it loads faster and has new skins. Sure do hope there is one hell of a lot more to it than that!

Like real documentation for a change.

[Mortie]

Re: V8 release date

I did inquire about V8 Runtime and there is no special early offer for it. In fact, Sales indicated they were not sure when it would be released. I thought that to be strange as I would have thought the two needed each other, at least from a sales point of view combined with converting or improving existing applications.

Having used Alpha software for 15 plus years I doubt they would ruin long term relationships. I did, however, find it interesting that there was more sales pressure applied to complete the 139 dollar offer (via telemarketing) than on any product predecessor. For that reason, I did not buy over the phone but via the email offer.

Should the offer not be completed in December as stated by Sales I would believe something to be awry in the completion/testing of the product for satisfactory release.

[rfha]

Re: V8 release date

Your comment really disturbs me, since I also noted the lack of a runtime. After receiving the email notice, I sent a couple of replies w. questions, one of which was specifically about the availability of a new runtime, or if it was included (dreamer that I am!).

I was told that one was needed and it would be available with the release. Should it not be available I, for one, will be raising bloody hell over the issue, since releasing one without the other would be absolute stupidity!

I also asked about graphics capability, specifically if the runtime version of Simple Graphs (or whatever it is called) would still be needed. The answer was that it would be required, indicating a likely lack of internal graphics changes, something terribly lacking now.

Let us hope that this is not a case of so many new offers:

1. Announce the product
   
2. Buy the T-shirts
   
3. Set the pricing
   
4. Start the design....

:)

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: V8 release date

Good morning, Richard. Have you played the demos posted in the Announcements forum? There's a lot there to like. -- tom

[Steve Wood]

Re: V8 release date

From what I can see, v8 has a wealth of improvements, including speed. I went through the set of videos in the Announcement topic.

A Runtime is derived from the full version, so you have to complete the full version first. They aren't going to abandon Runtime or Runtime+.

New versions always leave some elated and others frustrated. For me it will be both - some things I (we) want will probably not be there. At the same time, though I may be frustrated, I understand that developing software on limited resources is a careful balance between pissing off the established users and attracting new buyers. Just the same, I'd rather have everything that I want or need!

[trackmanpete]

Re: V8 release date

In our world of "instant gratification" I can understand that delayed release of new software can lead to frustration. However, compared to other companies, Alpha's updates come a lot closer to promise. In fact, I found Alpha after waiting over 2 years for a PC upgrade to Provue's Panorama product (a very nice database originally and still mainly a Mac product) that was promised within 6 months. Three years later and Panorama PC still doesn't exist and I am a convert to Alpha. Waiting an extra few weeks, despite giving them my $139 doesn't dismay me. Seeing samples is a nice tease for the "real thing". It's like waiting for Santa to arrive.....:)

Pete Schuder

[rfha]

Re: V8 release date

Tom,

I did see the first video that Richard did, which is what I based my comments above on. Having seen the newer videos, I will say that there is much that has been done, especially in the web end of the software.

I do hope that the desktop side will continue to be enhanced for a couple of reasons. That is where my Alpha interests lie at the moment, and being the oldest, it also contains a lot of out of date and duplicate items. So, hopefully, a lot of that has gotten cleaned up.

As for the runtime, I can appreciate the comments about unexpected delays, but when delivery dates in the immediate future are given, there can be no excuse for not meeting them and I really hope that the runtime comes out with the rest of the V8 juice, as I was told it would.

Haven't heard or seen anything about new documentation. Does anyone know if there will be such any time soon, and will we have to pay for it?

And, should docs still be underway, let me enter a plea for more useful stuff. If nothing else, please get rid of the interactive examples as much as possible. As of now, most of them are difficult to figure out how to translate into an application, at least for me.

I know that long time Alpha users don't agree with me on the quality of the docs, but you have this stuff ingrained into your gray matter from years of use. Sure, its better than ten years ago, but please don't let such a comparison be your standard for today. GM cars are better than ten years ago, but they don't come close to Toyotas.

As long as statements like, "With Alpha � virtually ALL of the coding is done for you. You can build complete data driven web solutions without having to write a single line of code" are made, the documentation needs to be superb.

Please take this in the spirit that it is said. I ain't just bitchin' - I LIKE Alpha, but I have a hard time getting it to do what I want the way I want it. I don't use it ALL the time and so memory fades and docs become that much more important. That's why I want it mo' betta'...

Thanks to all the Alpha folks who keep on going and keep on putting up with me and my ilk. ;)

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: V8 release date

As for the runtime, I can appreciate the comments about unexpected delays, but when delivery dates in the immediate future are given, there can be no excuse for not meeting them and I really hope that the runtime comes out with the rest of the V8 juice, as I was told it would.

The RT is being offered for sale currently - at least for those who got the "Early Bird" announcements. I don't expect that it would be delayed at all.

Haven't heard or seen anything about new documentation. Does anyone know if there will be such any time soon, and will we have to pay for it?

Apparently Ed Larabee no longer works for them. So who knows?

As long as statements like, "With Alpha � virtually ALL of the coding is done for you. You can build complete data driven web solutions without having to write a single line of code" are made, the documentation needs to be superb.

Not true. I think you need some xbasic. I guess the key word is "virtually" - and it depends upon what you want to do.

[rfha]

Re: V8 release date

Peter,

#1 - That's what I was told, just hoping tis true! :)

#2 - Didn't know Ed L was gone. Hmm, the plot thickens!

#3 - Yah mon, but he who be buying doesn't know he 'may' need to learn Xbasic. I just think it should be sold as a programmer's tool. And from other comments on the forum, many others agree. :p

[Marcel Kollenaar]

Re: V8 release date

Hmm, paying for documentation? I think Alpha Corp isn't stupid.

[Mortie]

Re: V8 release date

The RT is being offered for sale currently - at least for those who got the "Early Bird" announcements. I don't expect that it would be delayed at all.

Peter, if it is being offered for sale as to the Early Bird Announcement the sales department that has been calling me knows nothing about it being for sale. I actually asked for it. The curiosity would be of course, why can someone have the RT but not the main product and in fact no clear date as to when available?

I am by no means or by any stretch of the imagination someone who makes a living utilizing Alpha. I use it to make MY life easier and have one application that I developedfor my company at no profit to me (other than a free round of golf here and there). So I can truly appreciate the trust given by those here in the forum who do make a living from Alpha. These individuals are far more in tune with Alpha and the organization than I would ever be. Hence, all the bells and whistles these users need and dream of are far beyond my need for additional scripting and reporting capabilities. Hence I would never say it has or does not have. So far, since 1992, when I started with Alpha it has had everything I could ever want.

The only thing I believe is that a product that is stated by Sales as ready to release the second week of December should have a product that is ready to release sometime around that date. If a supporting product is not ready nor can it be offered for sale and it is MIA then my only concern is why do they have to have MY money so far in advance when it seems they really are not going to make the projected release date?