tep@tots.UUCP (Tom Perrine) (05/31/90)
Well, its time. I need a spreadsheet. I currently have MaxiPlan 1.8, which I got several years ago with my machine under the old "software bundle" plan. It works, mostly. It only crashes: * when I try to use any of the graphing features under WB 1.3; * occasionally under WB 1.2; * whenever I try to load any Lotus spreadsheet template. I have tried to talk to OXXI and several others companies about upgrades, but no one had any definite answers other than to "wait for PlanIt!" which is apparently a re-write of MaxiPlan by the original authors. Also, there seemed to be some legal conflicts hovering in the background about the rights to these two products; no one would comment "on the record." Does anyone have any suggestions for a replacement spreadsheet? The features I really want include: * the ability to do *some* graphs, especially high/low/close and pie charts * be able to import Lotus .wks and .wk2 (?) files Please reply via email, and I will summarize. Thanks, Tom Perrine (tep) |Internet: tep@tots.Logicon.COM Logicon |UUCP: nosc!hamachi!tots!tep Tactical and Training Systems Division |-or- sun!suntan!tots!tep San Diego CA |GENIE: T.PERRINE "Harried: with preschoolers" |+1 619 455 1330
cmcmanis@stpeter.Eng.Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) (06/01/90)
In article <143@tots.UUCP> tep@tots.Logicon.COM (Tom Perrine) writes: >I currently have MaxiPlan 1.8, which I got several years ago with >my machine under the old "software bundle" plan. ... >I have tried to talk to OXXI and several others companies about >upgrades, but no one had any definite answers other than to "wait for >PlanIt!" Definite answer. Maxiplan 1.8 was Oxxi's, Oxxi and Intuitive Technologies broke up their contract, an upgrade was then called "PlanIt" which was distributed by B.E.S.T and there was a $40 upgrade fee, and then Intuitive Technologies broke their contract and now sells it as MaxiPlan 3.0 or somesuch and there is a $40 upgrade fee. The phone number of Intuitive Technologies is (408) 646-9147. I've got what is supposedly the "latest" version and it still crashes and it still hits low memory. I wish to God that someone would take this "prototype" for a spreadsheet and give it to a professional developer and say "Here is the prototype, why don't you write a commercial grade version for us." -- --Chuck McManis Sun Microsystems uucp: {anywhere}!sun!cmcmanis BIX: <none> Internet: cmcmanis@Eng.Sun.COM These opinions are my own and no one elses, but you knew that didn't you. "I tell you this parrot is bleeding deceased!"
lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) (06/02/90)
In <136468@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>, cmcmanis@stpeter.Eng.Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) writes: > >Definite answer. Maxiplan ... [ much deleted ] > >I've got what is supposedly the "latest" version and it still crashes and >it still hits low memory. I wish to God that someone would take this >"prototype" for a spreadsheet and give it to a professional developer >and say "Here is the prototype, why don't you write a commercial grade >version for us." Hear hear! The author has provided the Amiga community with at least three prototypes; Maxicomm, Maxiplan, and Ultracard. I wish he'd pass all three to a professional developer. -larry -- The raytracer of justice recurses slowly, but it renders exceedingly fine. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
jdp@caleb.UUCP (Jim Pritchett) (06/03/90)
[ ] In the above referenced article, Chuck McManis writes: > I wish to God that someone would take this > "prototype" for a spreadsheet and give it to a professional developer > and say "Here is the prototype, why don't you write a commercial grade > version for us." I have had several MaxiPlan versions over the past few years. I like MaxiPlan, but at least up to my version (1.9 something - NOT the latest) it still has some obvious and somewhat annoying bugs (especially until you figure out how to avoid them - the major thing to remember is scroll as little and as slowly as possible!) I use it regularly, however. My observation about MaxiPlan is really about it's author (correct me if I err here.) I believe that he is the same person who wrote MaxiComm before MaxiPlan. Recently, I believe that he produced Ultracard. The common thread in all of these programs, is that the customers are really the debuggers for the programs. All were released in an extremely (IMHO) poor state. The subsequent releases (many were needed!) usually improved things some and added new features (and sometimes new bugs.) Each release usually cost a significant amount to "upgrade." After several revisions, the products seem to end up useful, but at a heavy cost to the consumer in time, aggravation, and cost. As always, caveat emptor. Since I don't know the author personally, I can't really evaluate why these trends appear. It could be simply greed (it costs more in the short term to produce a solid product.) It is more likely that he simply lacks the "stamina" to finish debugging a program. Too many programmers today lose interest after the program "mostly works." It takes quite a bit of determination to finish the job after this point. This is one of the reasons why having a good "outside" set of Beta testers is extremely important. I wish that more of the Amiga developers would use outside Beta testers to help them debug their products. (It always amazes the programmers when the users actually try to do something that is documented to work, but is a little different from what the programmer had in mind. The usual result is a bug discovered. The usual programmer reaction is "But you shouldn't do that!" The correct reaction is "I'll fix it right away.") [ Note: in case you haven't figured it out yet, I work on a large (non-Amiga) software project. I see the above problems daily. ] ... I am now leaving SoapBox mode. If you are lucky (or your kill file is set appropriately), you may not have to read another such tirade from me for a while. -- Jim Pritchett UUCP: {attctc|texbell}!letni!dms3b1!caleb!jdp or texbell!rwsys!caleb!jdp
buffa@sardaigne.inria.fr (Michel Buffa) (06/05/90)
In article <136468@sun.Eng.Sun.COM>, cmcmanis@stpeter.Eng.Sun.COM (Chuck McManis) writes: |> In article <143@tots.UUCP> tep@tots.Logicon.COM (Tom Perrine) writes: |> >I currently have MaxiPlan 1.8, which I got several years ago with |> >my machine under the old "software bundle" plan. |> ... |> >I have tried to talk to OXXI and several others companies about |> >upgrades, but no one had any definite answers other than to "wait for |> >PlanIt!" |> |> Definite answer. Maxiplan 1.8 was Oxxi's, Oxxi and Intuitive Technologies |> broke up their contract, an upgrade was then called "PlanIt" which was |> distributed by B.E.S.T and there was a $40 upgrade fee, and then |> Intuitive Technologies broke their contract and now sells it as |> MaxiPlan 3.0 or somesuch and there is a $40 upgrade fee. The phone |> number of Intuitive Technologies is (408) 646-9147. |> |> I've got what is supposedly the "latest" version and it still crashes and |> it still hits low memory. I wish to God that someone would take this |> "prototype" for a spreadsheet and give it to a professional developer |> and say "Here is the prototype, why don't you write a commercial grade |> version for us." I read somewhere that THE GOLD DISK was marketing a spreadsheet program. DId somebody try it ? Professional Page is rather professional and rather bug-free, so maybe this soft is the answer. There was also an old spreadsheet program marketed in a package with Organize 2.0, Kindwords, and ? I tried it, it had graphics capabilities, and seemed bug-free. ------------------------------------------ Michel Buffa: Projet Robotvis, INRIA, France Internet: buffa@sardaigne.inria.fr Surface Mail: Michel BUFFA, INRIA - Sophia Antipolis, 2004, route des Lucioles, 06565 Valbonne Cedex -- FRANCE Voice phone: (33) 93.65.78.39, Fax: (33) 93 65 77 65 ------------------------------------------
phlin@aludra.usc.edu ( - TOP SECRET -) (06/17/90)
Amiga 1000 512K External 1010 drive Amiga Color Monitor All for only $1200 Okimate Color Printer Supra 2400b Modem Many books (may negotiate) Manx compiler Many disks Wooden disk case Phone: (213) 748-1825 E-mail phlin@nunki.usc.edu Replies: phlin@aludra.usc.edu :-) :-( :-O :-| 8^) 8^D 8^P *8^O *B^D