🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <21009@cca.CCA.COM> m204help@cca.CCA.COM (Keith Hedger) writes:
>IS this product any good ? Are there any other database packages for
>the ST that are good ? Are there any that I should definately stay away
>from ? What is a good price to pay for these products ??
>thanks,
>keith hedger

	Well, I got it at the remarkable price of about $90 (CAN);
remarkable considering that it lists at about $230.  It wasn't until this
Fall that I really got into the program, though.  Since then, I've come to
the conclusion that it's worth the $90, but not $230.  I have version 2.02,
and the latest version is 3.xx.  I've sent in for the upgrade (and since
regretted it, since the upgrade cost is $49.95 (US); I hope it's worth it),
but I haven't received it yet.

	I've been writing a dBMAN program that essentially manages several
quiz databases for school courses.  You enter in questions and answers on
a fairly regular basis, and the program can then quiz you, using the
questions entered.  I _think_ it will be a valuable studying
tool, but time will tell.  In the process of writing this application,
I've found several bugs and a few annoying characteristics.  I was going
to list them here, but that wouldn't really serve any purpose.  Suffice it
to say that if you do buy dBMAN, make sure you get the latest version.  I'm
really hoping that they've fixed all the bugs.  Also, version 3 uses GEM,
apparently.  Version 2 doesn't.  When one is used to the more agreeable
format of most ST GEM programs, version 2 of dBMAN seems very visually
'sparse.'

	All in all, I think dBMAN's a great program, though.  It's comparable
to dBASE on the PC (I'm not sure which version).  The programmability is
mainly what sets it apart from most other ST databases.  I've found that
just about any other ST database is easier to use, but not quite as powerful.
And hopefully the incorporation of GEM in the new version will make dBMAN
a little less intimidating, and a little more visually stimulating.  Perhaps
when I do get the update, I'll post a more full-fledged review -- I don't
think it's entirely fair to flame an outdated version of a program.

	If I've found that I've spent $50 US for an update that's still full
of bugs, though, I'll certainly feel free to flame away.
--
				- Jonathan A. Fischer
				jafischer@lion.waterloo.edu
...{ihnp4,allegra,decvax,utzoo,utcsri}!watmath!watdragon!watlion!jafischer