medin@cod.nosc.mil (Ted Medin) (06/04/91)
Got this add in the mail for these programs. Anyone got any feed back on alpha four the data base program or managing your money the personal finance program? 73, ted n6trf
juraschek@gmuvax.gmu.edu (06/06/91)
In article <3105@cod.NOSC.MIL>, medin@cod.nosc.mil (Ted Medin) writes: > > Got this add in the mail for these programs. Anyone got any feed back > on alpha four the data base program or managing your money > the personal finance program? > 73, ted > n6trf Alpha4 is outstanding!!! (Exponentiate those exclamations!) It is completely compatible with DbaseIII files, but blows the socks off DbaseIII. It also includes, inherantly, such dBase add-ons as clipper, various report managers and generators, indexers and such. Furthermore, it allows fully relational inter-relations between data bases. For the current $99 trial offer, it can't be beat. Also MYM is an outstanding home finance (can be used moderately for business too) system. The version 7 just released lacks a lot in user friendliness, but has expanded features dramatically. (For example, you can now have several years worth of data active at once - you don't need to "close your books" at the end of a new year anymore.) Versions up to version 7 were pretty user friendly, and intuitive. There has been much outcry with the changes in V7 and complaints against the changes in presentation that came with V7. As a result, I understand MECA Software is re-evaluating V7 and considering an upgrade/re-release to keep the extended enhancements V7 brought, but to return to (or allow the option of) the pre-V7 user interface. If so, it will make MYM V7(modified) unbeatable. Interesting you should ask about this exact mix. Right now, I'm trying to see if I can get MYM financial data into a Alpha4 database of medical records to battle a health insurance company for heretofore unpaid benefits . Incidentally, the Alpha4 trial offer is NOT a crippled version. It's the full $650 production product. Current MYM cost is about $150. (For Version 6, that is. I don't think V7 is on the store shelves yet, and probably won't be until the user interface problems are fixed. V6 is still outstanding even without the V7 enhancements.) Hope this is helpful. I can enumerate off-line if you want more info. -Dave
jgay@digi.lonestar.org (john gay) (06/11/91)
From article <1991Jun6.101832.51396@gmuvax.gmu.edu>, by juraschek@gmuvax.gmu.edu: > In article <3105@cod.NOSC.MIL>, medin@cod.nosc.mil (Ted Medin) writes: >> >> Got this add in the mail for these programs. Anyone got any feed back >> on alpha four the data base program or managing your money >> the personal finance program? > > > Also MYM is an outstanding home finance (can be used moderately for > business too) system. The version 7 just released lacks a lot in > user friendliness, but has expanded features dramatically. (For example, > you can now have several years worth of data active at once - you don't need > to "close your books" at the end of a new year anymore.) Versions up to > version 7 were pretty user friendly, and intuitive. There has been much IMHO, MYM != user friendly interface some of my complaints - * ESC is used for online help (instead of standard F1) * F10 is used to back up a level (instead of standard ESC) * when you back up a level it gives you another menu asking if you want to save the changes or not. if you tell it to forget the changes you still have to confirm what you meant. i.e. you: go up a level computer: what you: go up a level and forget what I just did computer: are you really sure you want to do that you: yes computer: well ok * just playing around with it I found a bug. In the loan program try converting a monthly loan payment to a bi-weekly loan payment program. The only thing that the program does is divide payment in half. Either the interest,# of payments, or the loan amount should change (preferably the # of payments). this is just a short list. I am sure that I could have come up with more if I wouldn't have gotten so pissed at the stupid program wanting my to confirm every move that I deleted it from my hard disk. I guess if you like your hand held while crossing the street then the interface might be descent (assuming you like learning a new/different/ non-standard interface). For the most part I guess the program works (I didn't keep it around long enough to find out). Based on the number of copies that MECA has sold I guess I am in the minority on this, but the only person I know who uses MYM started out with it 4-5 years ago when it was the "only game in town" and admits that he is stuck with it. He doesn't really like the interface that much and has been waiting on v7's "new, improved, with more cleaning power than ever" interface/features. I would definitely find someone who will let you borrow an "evaluation" copy of the software. Play around with it for a couple weeks. If it is what you need and can deal with the interface buy it. john gay. -- john gay. jgay@digi.lonestar.org Like Thoreau, I rejoice that there are owls. Part of the reason is that owls eat mice, and thus make a certain number of cats unnecessary, which is always a plus. Jeff Duntemann, Dr. Dobb's June '91