| Subject | Re: You Ask - What Is The Future Direction For dBASE2019 |
| From | Lee Grant <camilee@nospam.comcast.net> |
| Date | Fri, 7 Apr 2023 21:52:33 -0400 |
| Newsgroups | dbase.getting-started |
Paul, Thanks for coming out from the trenches to 'try' and soothe the savage beasts. 😄 They're hungry for blood, from the drought of dBASE info. 😄 I'm happy enough to know you're not done with the product, and it still has life. That's all I want to know. I do, however, share the concern that should the product life end, that we as users who still want to use the product can do something to remove or forego the limit on installations. I'm not impatient, something spending a lifetime controlling an otherwise hot temper with prayer has gifted me with an exorbitant amount of patience, but I do profess that I think users would like to know, should the 'impossible' happen, that dBASE, LLC will free dBASE from obscurity by ensuring it will be usable in perpetuity. Whether that is a lifetime cost of use, a removal of the code that limits it, etc so dBASE doesn't fade into the mists of technology would be nice. Either that or the possibility of Open Source licensing the code for continuity would be preferred should the unthinkable happen. Porting to Linux would be even better. 😄 That said, thanks for the update info and sharing what you can and the machinations of a business concerns any pre announcements. As an aside, and I wish it were possible, but a YouTube/Rumble channel for dBASE development/use would be a good idea. Since we don't have access to the account, perhaps, getting user created content to post to the YouTube site, might help expand the presence and educational value of dBASE to a generation that basically leaped-frog over the system. I still believe dBASE is a valuable tool as a self-contained programming language, built in database management system, front-end development tool and with the exception of being OS cross-compatible, it does at least allow usage via web on other systems with browser access, so it is by no means a dead programming system, professional or hobby, so I take exception to someone thinking being only hobby status is somehow denigrating. This industry was built by hobby coders, before the 'professionals' came in and ruined it, insisting on faster and easier ways to let them get their job done. If the tool can do the job, then it's not useless. Period. Anyways, I need to get back to work and do the dishes. 😄 Thanks for the update. Lee On 4/6/2023 7:02 PM, Paul McGee wrote: > Dear Mervyn et al, > > I will be speaking for myself, Mike will chime in if he has anything he wants to add to the conversation. > > I understand your concerns about the lack of communication from dBase, LLC. I want to assure you that we are committed to the future of dBASE and are working hard to develop a new product that will meet the needs of our customers. We are a small team and it will takes us longer to deliver than before especially when confronted with a worldwide epidemic and family health concerns. > > I know that it has been over three years since the last dBASE upgrade, and I apologize for the delay. We have been working on a number of new features and improvements for the next version of dBASE, and we wanted to make sure that we got it right before we released it or even talked about it. We also know that everytime we've announced a new beta version, sales for the existing version drop to near zero. We still have people depending on us for their pay even with the very reduced income stream. In many ways, we are like that duck on the pond who looks perfectly still but underwater his feet are moving a mile a minute. > > I understand that the lack of updates and communication, especially email blasts, has been frustrating for you and other dBASE users. I take responsibility for the lower volume of email blasts. I heard from many people on our email list that it was too much, too often. We've also been concentrating our resources on product development and not educational email content so the production of educations emails has been very limited. > > I want to invite anyone who is interested and has an interesting story about using dBASE to solve a unique problem or even a programming challenge that they've overcome that they want to share to send me an email and I will review it along with other members of the team and share it with everyone else if appropriate. > > I want to assure you that we are committed to providing you with the information you'll need to evaluate the next version of dBASE software. We will be providing updates on the development of the new product when the delivery to Beta is imminent, and we will be sure to communicate with you before we make any major changes. > > Thank you for your patience and understanding. > > Regards, > > Paul McGee > VP Sales and Operations > dBase, LLC > | |