davidf@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com (David Foster) (03/12/91)
Just a word of warning to would-be objectvision users. I am a Borland fan, so when I saw a stack of objectvision boxes in my local pc store I dived in with my $99.99 and bought it. Great, I love it, a forms based constructor kit for windows !!! But what are these references in the manual to the "objectvision runtime" to distribute an application ? A quick call to Borland solved that one. Yes, you can distribute applications but the runtime version (!) of objectvision wil cost you $495 !!!!!! Isn`t this a variation on the "bait and switch" scam ? Well, it does say on the back of the box the "runtime version is available" - it pays to read ALL the small print first I guess, but then I would have thought the runtime would have cost less, but in effect its the distribution license you are paying for. Borlands reaction ? "We can give you a return reference code sir" Thanks Borland ! So, netlanders, what other tools has anyone had experience of that provide functionality like objectvision, basically a toolkit for creating data entry forms. Input would be greatly appreciated, as always. p.s. Would the $99 ACTOR solution provide similar functionality ?
akm@cs.uoregon.edu (Anant Kartik Mithal) (03/13/91)
In comparing Actor to ObjectVision: In article <12810@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com> davidf@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com (David Foster) writes: >Just a word of warning to would-be objectvision users. I am a Borland >fan, so when I saw a stack of objectvision boxes in my local pc store >I dived in with my $99.99 and bought it. Great, I love it, a forms based >constructor kit for windows !!! But what are these references in the >manual to the "objectvision runtime" to distribute an application ? A >quick call to Borland solved that one. Yes, you can distribute applications >but the runtime version (!) of objectvision wil cost you $495 !!!!!! Actor will let you create runtime applications (a process called 'sealing off') that does not require a run time version. The 'final' Actor program is a two file set that contains everything that your application needs to run. No runtime fee, which I also believe is true of Smalltalk V/Windows. >So, netlanders, what other tools has anyone had experience of that provide >functionality like objectvision, basically a toolkit for creating data entry >forms. Input would be greatly appreciated, as always. >p.s. Would the $99 ACTOR solution provide similar functionality ? I don't actually think that Actor does the same thing that ObjectVision does. Actor is a C-like implementation of Smalltalk (complete with browsers, debuggers, inspectors etc.) It is 'truly' object oriented (if you believe that Smalltalk is...). It is *not* C++, which someone thought it was. So, Actor is a smalltalk-like programming environment with the ability to build stand alone applications. I like it, but then I am sold on Smalltalk.... At $99, I think it is well worth it, and is the only reason (main?) that I didn't upgrade to Digitalk's Smalltalk V/Windows, which they were offering for $299 (or $249, I can't remember which...). kartik Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Whitewater group (authors of Actor), apart from being a resonably satisfied customer. As for my university, well, at this point, my thesis committee might be a bit surprised to find that I have an opinion... -- Anant Kartik Mithal akm@cs.uoregon.edu Research Assistant, (503)346-4408 (msgs) Department of Computer Science, (503)346-3989 (direct) University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1202
itkin@mrspoc.Transact.COM (Steven M. List) (03/14/91)
davidf@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com (David Foster) writes: >Just a word of warning to would-be objectvision users. I am a Borland >fan, so when I saw a stack of objectvision boxes in my local pc store >I dived in with my $99.99 and bought it. Great, I love it, a forms based >constructor kit for windows !!! But what are these references in the >manual to the "objectvision runtime" to distribute an application ? A >quick call to Borland solved that one. Yes, you can distribute applications >but the runtime version (!) of objectvision wil cost you $495 !!!!!! >Isn`t this a variation on the "bait and switch" scam ? Well, it does say No fair, David! If you've worked with other software packages, you'll realize that $495 for UNLIMITED ROYALTY-FREE runtimes is NOTHING! That's a ONE-TIME charge. Period. Then you can sell/give/distribute as many copies of your applications as you want. I think that's pretty good, having worked in the UNIX environment for a long time, where runtimes are HIGH and PER COPY generally (there ARE some notable exceptions, like JAM from JYACC). -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ : Steven List @ Transact Software, Inc. :^>~ : : Chairman, Unify User Group of Northern California : : itkin@Transact.COM :
burgoyne@eng.umd.edu (John R. Burgoyne) (03/14/91)
In article <12810@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com> davidf@ntrlink.hq.interlink.com (David Foster) writes: > > >Just a word of warning to would-be objectvision users. I am a Borland >fan, so when I saw a stack of objectvision boxes in my local pc store >I dived in with my $99.99 and bought it. Great, I love it, a forms based >constructor kit for windows !!! Soft Warehouse said 10 more days 'til they'd have it. My question is: How good are the printouts that one gets from ObjVis? Are they comparable to form processing programs? I notice that Xerox Form Base and Delrina's Per Form Pro are both offering sweet deals; perhaps in response to ObjVis? Would anyone recommend or comment on the quality of what is printed out using ObjVis please? Thanks. Robert