ncs@srhqla.SR.COM (Sekar) (05/09/91)
We obtained a demo version for Superbase-4-Windows from Precison Inc. (a U.K. based company with offices in Irving,TX) Supposedly dBaseIV compatible(?) but works with Microsoft Windows. Demo looks impressive. Does anyone have any info/opinion/comments on this product ? Thanks in advance. - ns -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- N.Sekar, Manager - MIS uucp : csun!srhqla!ncs Cybernetic Data Products/Silent Radio internet : ncs@srhqla.UUCP Chatsworth, California
ries@venice.SEDD.TRW.COM (Marc Ries) (05/09/91)
> We obtained a demo version for Superbase-4-Windows from Precison Inc. > (a U.K. based company with offices in Irving,TX) > Supposedly dBaseIV compatible(?) but works with Microsoft Windows. > Demo looks impressive. > > Does anyone have any info/opinion/comments on this product ? I have Superbase2, which is the "low-end" relative to the developer's Superbase4. I use windows almost exclusively, so (at least a year or so ago) my choice was limited. While in some cases, the windows interface is nice and WYSIWYG, in many cases simple things (like a report generator with custom grouping) that you could normally do quickly and precisely in a DBMS like Informix, is tedious under the Superbase2 MMI. While Superbase is "compatible" with dbase, it's pretty limited. I don't have the manual handy, but the dbase "mirror" DB is pretty much read-only, and data is "filtered" to-from the Superbase DB. The dbase "mirror" is also slow (slower than the same data in a Superbase DB), especially on large DB's (like the dbase zipcode DB posted a while back).
davidm@uunet.UU.NET (David S. Masterson) (05/10/91)
>>>>> On 8 May 91 21:28:33 GMT, ncs@srhqla.SR.COM (Sekar) said:
NS> We obtained a demo version for Superbase-4-Windows from Precison Inc. (a
NS> U.K. based company with offices in Irving,TX). Supposedly dBaseIV
NS> compatible(?) but works with Microsoft Windows. Demo looks impressive.
NS> Does anyone have any info/opinion/comments on this product?
Superbase is also available for the Amiga and that is the form I use it in.
My copy of Superbase4 for the Amiga should be coming in rather soon (I'm
upgrading from Superbase Pro 3 which was an upgrade from Superbase). As you
can see, there are different levels to the Superbase product depending on what
you need. Superbase, for instance, is the low-end version that is meant for
simple user querying of data whereas Superbase 4 is the high-end version that
also includes a forms package, report writer, database language, etc. Each
version is a rather impressive system in a low-cost wrapper.
Dbase compatibility (as well as Lotus, etc.) should be Superbase4, but since I
use it on an Amiga, I really can't comment (its probably just compatible
files). It may even have SQL compatibility (I think that's what they said
about the Windows version). The only thing I've found that's difficult about
it is that it has a very different "look and feel" from the Unix database
systems I know, but that's just a difference in what I'm used to.
The other problem that Precision has had trouble with is hot and cold support
of the product. It was ashame since it was such a powerful product. This may
have been more towards their Amiga version and I believe that they are trying
to change this.
--
====================================================================
David Masterson Consilium, Inc.
(415) 691-6311 640 Clyde Ct.
uunet!cimshop!davidm Mtn. View, CA 94043
====================================================================
"If someone thinks they know what I said, then I didn't say it!"tomr@dbase.a-t.com (Tom Rombouts) (05/14/91)
In article <1877@srhqla.SR.COM> ncs@srhqla.SR.COM (Sekar) writes: > > We obtained a demo version for Superbase-4-Windows from Precison Inc. > (a U.K. based company with offices in Irving,TX) > Supposedly dBaseIV compatible(?) but works with Microsoft Windows. > Demo looks impressive. > > Does anyone have any info/opinion/comments on this product ? Superbase 4 is still the only real 4 GL available for MS-Windows, although just about everyone else (including us) is working hard on Windows versions of their DOS database products. I would hardly call Superbase "dBASE IV compatible". First, its programming language is a variant of BASIC. Secondly, it can view or report on .DBF files directly, but they must be imported to be modified. Also, I see no mention of memo field (.DBT) support in their import chapter. On the other hand, if you have some experience with BASIC, you may prefer this. To me, its most notable features are the use of Windows-style windowing and menuing, as well as some simple DDE support. (Commands to create these have been added to their programming language, if that is not obvious.) One somewhat odd (to me, at least) quirk is its use of a VCR metaphor from some of its menus. That is, you can fast forward or rewind through records via on-screen buttons that look like those found on a VCR. If Microsoft's alleged "Thunder" project ends up re-establishing BASIC as a major development language, Superbase may become more popular in the future. Otherwise, I think dBASE-like products, and possibly Paradox, will be more common, and thus, more standard, under Windows, due to their large installed base in plain old DOS. DISCLAIMER: I have a vested interest in Ashton-Tate. Also, the above are my own opinions and do not represent or suggest any sort of official statement or position by anyone about anything. P.S. to original poster: Can one get "Silent Radio" at home? Tom Rombouts Torrance 'Tater tomr@ashtate.A-T.com
jensend1@yvax.byu.edu (05/15/91)
I haven't used Superbase 4 Windows or DBase IV, but I have used DBase III+, Paradox, the Paradox Engine, and Superbase for the Atari ST. Superbase is the easiest to use straight out of the box. The VCR you're doing, so the user never feels "abandoned" by an application - which is important if you actually want someone to use your work. When Tom Rombouts from Ashton-Tate posted in response to this question, he mentioned some concerns about the Superbase language being a form of BASIC. That's true. However, I find my Superbase programs shorter and easier to read than my DBase programs. Both application languages are basically BASIC, with different quirks. I'd always rather use C! Superbase's handling of the user interface is really slick. It's quite easy to program, and very intuitive to use. It's definitely worth giving a try. David A. Jensen jensend1@byuvax.byu.edu