I'm evaluating Alpha 5 for a major project, and would appreciate some feedback on the vendor's update practices on its current version - e.g. timing of bug fixes and delivery of promised functionality. Also, will the new version have the ability for new users to relatively easily incorporate external web services and java libraries? Thanks very much.
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Alpha Software Corporation may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.
Bonus TIPS for Successful Posting
Try a Search First
It is highly recommended that a Search be done on your topic before posting, as many questions have been answered in prior posts. As with any search engine, the shorter the search term, the more "hits" will be returned, but the more specific the search term is, the greater the relevance of those "hits". Searching for "table" might well return every message on the board while "tablesum" would greatly restrict the number of messages returned.
When you do post
First, make sure you are posting your question in the correct forum. For example, if you post an issue regarding Desktop applications on the Mobile & Browser Applications board , not only will your question not be seen by the appropriate audience, it may also be removed or relocated.
The more detail you provide about your problem or question, the more likely someone is to understand your request and be able to help. A sample database with a minimum of records (and its support files, zipped together) will make it much easier to diagnose issues with your application. Screen shots of error messages are especially helpful.
When explaining how to reproduce your problem, please be as detailed as possible. Describe every step, click-by-click and keypress-by-keypress. Otherwise when others try to duplicate your problem, they may do something slightly different and end up with different results.
A note about attachments
You may only attach one file to each message. Attachment file size is limited to 2MB. If you need to include several files, you may do so by zipping them into a single archive.
If you forgot to attach your files to your post, please do NOT create a new thread. Instead, reply to your original message and attach the file there.
When attaching screen shots, it is best to attach an image file (.BMP, .JPG, .GIF, .PNG, etc.) or a zip file of several images, as opposed to a Word document containing the screen shots. Because Word documents are prone to viruses, many message board users will not open your Word file, therefore limiting their ability to help you.
Similarly, if you are uploading a zipped archive, you should simply create a .ZIP file and not a self-extracting .EXE as many users will not run your EXE file.
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Feedback on Updates
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Hi Robert,
Welcome to Alpha.
I suggest you contact the sales office and get your answers in writing.Regards
Keith Hubert
Alpha Guild Member
London.
KHDB Management Systems
Skype = keith.hubert
For your day-to-day Needs, you Need an Alpha Database!
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by RobertL View Post...appreciate some feedback on the vendor's update practices on its current version - e.g. timing of bug fixes and delivery of promised functionality.
http://downloads.alphasoftware.com/A...easenotes.html
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Peter, thank you. I was hoping for some indication of the vendor's propensity to <not> fix bugs considered important by users - which of course release notes don't provide. Although I have no experience with this product, I *have* been developing commercial apps for a long time and come to be belief that vendor practices are at least as important to me as product functionality - particularly smaller vendors.
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Re: Feedback on Updates
As with all complex systems, your mileage may vary.
I would stay on the forums and see what others are dealing with.
Each of us develops some number of standard ways of dealing with issues. As a result, some never have problems and others do.
Alpha5 generates modified html (embedded A5 code). You can modify that to your liking - including whatever third party plug-in that you wish.
It is Xbasic and it is object oriented.
Regards,
Greg Wood
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by RobertL View PostI'm evaluating Alpha 5 for a major project, and would appreciate some feedback on the vendor's update practices on its current version - e.g. timing of bug fixes and delivery of promised functionality. Also, will the new version have the ability for new users to relatively easily incorporate external web services and java libraries? Thanks very much.
do you want to get the beta of v10? if so please email me at [email protected]
new desktop features in v10 videos
http://news.alphasoftware.com/V10Pre...uresVideos.htm
new web features (codeless ajax) in v10 videos (the 1st few do not have sound)
http://news.alphasoftware.com/V10Preview/videos.htmRichard Rabins
Co Chairman
Alpha Software
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by RobertL View PostMr. Rabins,
Thanks for your kind offer - but let me ask this: are the docs for v10 substantially complete? If not, I would prefer to wait until they are. Thanks again.
I've been wrong before and could be wrong on this but..............
kennTYVM :) kenn
Knowing what you can achieve will not become reality until you imagine and explore.
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by RobertL View PostMr. Rabins,
Thanks for your kind offer - but let me ask this: are the docs for v10 substantially complete? If not, I would prefer to wait until they are. Thanks again.
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by Lance Gurd View PostGregory,
Please can you point me in the documentation that is 90-95% complete.
http://www.alphasoftware.com/documentation/
The "Alpha Five Made Easy V8 Abridged" may be worth your time (also on the doc page). I purchased the full version sometime back. Again, there are some differences between v8 and v9 but not enough that you can't use the info.
IN GENERAL, each version is a superset of the previous version. I have read some number of posts about older apps having issues when recompiled with the newer version. I assume this is more the exception than the rule. It would be interesting to have someone comment on that.
Regards,
Greg Wood
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Thanks for the info Greg, for a little while I thought you had found some great secret source of information, but sadly no.
The V9 help system pdf is not what it says on the tin, the only reference to V9 in it is on the front page! And the information on items released in V8 is not complete. We can only hope that either of the upcoming Wiki's give more information.
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Re: Feedback on Updates
Originally posted by RobertL View PostI'm evaluating Alpha 5 for a major project, and would appreciate some feedback on the vendor's update practices on its current version - e.g. timing of bug fixes and delivery of promised functionality. Also, will the new version have the ability for new users to relatively easily incorporate external web services and java libraries? Thanks very much.
I've sent in numerous bugs for Alpha v9 and they have been taken care of in a matter of hours to a couple of days. The bug requests go directly to the CEO. Of all the software vendors I have dealt with, I believe Alpha is definitely the most responsive. You may have to go back and forth a little via email explaining the situation you are having, but if you have an authentic bug, it will be fixed post haste.Regards,
Chet Sapino
President,
SAPINO Enterprises
6451 Pheasant Rd
East Syracuse, NY 13057
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