Chuck Ryan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>My last company used FlexiBase and I always loved it. My current company
>uses DBGeneral and, in my own opinion, it does not compare to the ease of
>use of FlexiBase.

FlexiBase, apparently, has the best approach for this specific case, as
reported by people who genuinely love FlexiBase.  This is a good thing.


>DBGeneral imposes far too many restrictions on how I must do things for my
>taste. While you can do a schema based change to a database, you must change
>the database name in the schema to the name of their temporary database and
>place it in the same group as the database with a specific file name before
>it will use it. That combined with the limitation of only working on a
>database in your current group is an irritation I could happily live
>without.

Chuck has used some wise customer-oriented expressions that all of
us in the development community must use as guidelines: "far too
many restrictions", "the limitation of", "an irritation I could
happily live without".  Others have expressed similar frustrations
about MY own shortcomings with Adager's user-interface issues.
All of us in the programming community have imposed too many
constraints on the poor users of our systems.  This situation MUST
improve.

Carol Darnell has also expressed some wise comments regarding the
dangers of a "target schema" approach.  I feel a strong sense of
agreement with her position and I also feel that, to avoid the
appearance of "sour grapes", I must also provide a good "target
schema" interface for Adager.  This way, Adager will offer its
users all the options (including the option to shoot themselves
in the foot).

Steve Dirickson also expressed the need for the fact that 'every
database-maintenance tool should provide a "just testing" mode'.
I fully agree and I will be delighted to provide this feature.

I have no control over the work of others (and I DON'T want to
have any control over the work of others -- I am a lousy manager).
The best thing for me to do is to study all of these reports "from
the trenches" (as I see them from the perspective of my ivory
tower) and to try to do a good job incorporating the best ideas
from real-life users.  I have made careful notes and I am very
thankful to all who have contributed their suggestions.  Given
all the current discussions about things that fall into the
"damned if I do, damned if I don't" category, it is refreshing
(and therapeutic) to be able to work on something that is doable
and that does not require "begging and pleading".  In this
particular case of user-interface issues, I have the feeling
that I will be "blessed if I do".  How nice :-)

In full listening (and programming) mode, I remain yours truly,


   _______________
  |               |
  |               |
  |            r  |  Alfredo                     [log in to unmask]
  |          e    |                           http://www.adager.com
  |        g      |  F. Alfredo Rego
  |      a        |  Manager, R & D Labs
  |    d          |  Adager Corporation
  |  A            |  Sun Valley, Idaho 83353-3000            U.S.A.
  |               |
  |_______________|

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *