🚀 go-pugleaf

Perhaps this is a FAQ, but can someone explain the difference between
Double Helix II v3.5 (which I just bought) and Helix Express?

Doug

In article <1992Oct30.152035.18901@nrao.edu>, dwood@nrao.edu (Doug
Wood,Astronomer) wrote:
> 
> 
> Perhaps this is a FAQ, but can someone explain the difference between
> Double Helix II v3.5 (which I just bought) and Helix Express?

Helix Express is the replacement upgrade for DH 3.5.  I believe that you
are due a free upgrade if you just bought DH.

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|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
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In article <mike_steiner-291092114456@192.35.50.131> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:

> I ordered my upgrade to Helix Express on Sept. 30th.  Yesterday I received
>it (exactly 4 weeks after I mailed my check); it had been shipped on Oct
>22; three weeks after I mailed the check.  Yesterday, I also received my
>bank statement yesterday.  The check cleared the bank on October 5th.  That
>means that Helix Technologies did not ship until 17 days after they cashed
>the check (more than that, allowing for the float).  I do not like this
>policy at all; it gives the impression that they were/are short of cash and
>had to receive upgrade fees before they could pay for at least some of the
>expenses involved in providing the upgrades.

Or, they cashed the check, and shippied HE as soon as it was ready.
Maybe they even thought HE was going to be ready 2 weeks earlier than
it was.

>Another thing that I don't like is that when you run the  buckler
>application to join the two halves of the application, you have to enter a
>four-digit serial number and a 20-character (approximation; I did not count
>the exact number of characters) "enabling code."  The code is provided on a
>mailing label that is too big to tape to the floppy disk.  If I had known
>that the product had this protection on it, I may not have ordered the
>upgrade.  I don't like copy protection of any sort whatsoever.

You have some really extreme definitions of copy protection--how hard
is it to write the SN on your floppy?

Now, I haven't had the time to install my HE yet, so I may be singing
a different tune come then...

jas
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey A. Sullivan             | Research Scientist et al.
jas@isi.edu (Internet)          | Information Sciences Institute
72511,402    (Compuserve)       | University of Southern California

In article <1992Oct30.152035.18901@nrao.edu> you write:
>
>Perhaps this is a FAQ, but can someone explain the difference between
>Double Helix II v3.5 (which I just bought) and Helix Express?

The main new features is blob support, ie a field in which you can put other
applications' documents. Ie one applicationis to build a revision
history database in Helix for your Word documents (I hope you have a
large disk though!)

Others are some window (border) customization. Ie you can remove scroll
bars, change or removethe appearance of borders. Not all that impressive
but I suppose useful for producing a clean application. One of the nice
attributes is an invisible window. This is nice for a window which
is used for posting; hence there is no time spent preparing the form
for the screen before and after the posting. Greatly speeds up longer
posting sequences (if you have those in your application).

Otherwise it still has all the old problems I would have thought
should have been removed by Double Helix 2 let alone a new product
release!

As somebody else said I think you are qualified for a free upgrade.
Call them (numbers below). If not then check then you can order
the upgrades (at $99 each , stand alone + server) before November
? (the first week in November, Ie soon) since they extended their
initial deadline (September 31); not a good sign, unfortunately!

Peter

Here are some things from the newsgroup and a double-helix mailing list
I maintain [if you are interested in the mailing list reply saying so].

Subject: RE: Aust. Double Helix Developers

Try "Intro News : The Third Party Source" Jan 1992, Volume 3, Number 1 page
9, under "Databases"...
        "Double helix highlights its quicktime features.... with
introduction of 
        quicktime technology to the double helix product line, including
the 
        award winning multiuse version ..."

photo of DH screen with a window titled "Emplyees" and a button with a
balloon saying : "Click here to play the movie that was recorded at the
employees last review " !!! Big Brother is alive and listening

Bruce


Subject: Re: DH mailing list...
To: double-helix@neumann.waterloo.edu

> Here are a couple of questions people may be interested in
> and which might make for a regular type of posting...
> 
> What's new with Double Helix?
>     - who owns it now?-)
>     - latest press clippings

    It just so happens that DH was mentioned in the latest MacWEEK.
There is a small clipping that talkes about a price cut and a bug fix
update for the latest version.
    The new owners of DH (for those of you who didn't know Odesta sold
off about half of their interests, including all of their Mac stuff a
couple of months ago) is a company called Helix Technologies. The used
to be known as Northcon Technologies Inc. 
    The basics of the article are : list price cut from $695 to $439,
there is a $25 maintenance upgrade available in a couple of weeks, and
probably the biggest is new FREE unlimited Tech support for all
registered owners of Helix products. They also announced a Worldwide
Helix Developers Conference to be held this November in Northbrook, IL,
hometown of Helix Tech. You can reach them at (800) 364-4359

-- 
                     "That's a joke, son. A flag waver" - Foghorn Leghorn
-Hades (Brian V. Hughes)

Subject: New Helix Announced

I thought the following Northcon press release, found on AOL, might be of
interest.

HELIX TECHNOLOGIES ANNOUNCES
HELIX EXPRESS  VERSION 1.0 WITH BLOB SUPPORT!

Northbrook, Illinois, July 15 -- Helix Technologies today announced a new 
database product, Helix Express version 1.0.  Maintaining the ease-of-use and 
flexibility of its predecessor, Double Helix, Helix Express provides a host 
of other powerful new performance, interface and convenience enhancements. 
One of the key features of this new product is BLOB (Binary Large OBjects) 
support which enables users to create solutions that archive, track, retrieve 
and launch any Macintosh document in its native application.  
  Helix Express offers the application designer a graphical and 
implementation environment founded on a powerful relational database system.  
The associated client/server system makes multiuser groupware solutions fast 
and easy to implement.
 Included in each Helix Express package are Client/Server software and four 
"ready-to-go" solutions: Business Management, Contact Management, Personal 
Document Management, and a Recipe/Restaurant Guide. These applications are 
designed to be used "as is", or can easily be modified by the end user.  Both 
Business Management and Contact Management are designed for multi-user use, 
but can be used in a single-user environment. Personal Document Management 
and the Recipe/Restaurant Guide are designed for the single-user environment, 
but can be modified for multi-user.
 Jonathan Schneider, Vice President of Product Architecture and one of the 
original developers of the Helix technology states,  "Helix Technologies is 
committed  to delivering easy-to-use, yet powerful, database product and 
solutions to individuals and organizations. We are dedicated to providing 
state-of-the-art technology that frees the user from the mundane, and to 
providing this technology at a reasonable price."  
 Helix Technologies plans to unveil Helix Express at their booth #5312 in the 
World Trade Center/MacWorld Expo in Boston, August 4-7, 1992.

Groupware Development Tool

   Based on proven Client/Server technology, Helix Express is a powerful new 
tool for application designers to develop networked productivity solutions. 
The Helix Technologies Client/Server architecture combines fast network 
database performance, total referential integrity across the network, data 
integrity and security, and password protection without file server software.
 Workgroup applications developed with this technology provide document 
storage and retrieval, automatic routing and distribution, workflow, document 
version control, and the like from within a robust relational database.

Pricing and Availability

 In the past, the ability to manage documents alone has been available only 
for tens of thousands of dollars.  Helix Express combines the ability to 
create custom solutions, four Ready-to-Go solutions and Client/Server 
software in every box for $439.00. 
 Multi-user clients are available for $199 each.  Quantity discounts and site 
licensing are available.  Helix Express single user, Client/Server and 
RunTime are compatible with Apple Computer Macintosh Plus, SE, Classic 
series, II series, Quadra, and Powerbook computers running system version 6.0 
or higher.  Helix Express will be available in September, 1992.  
 Current Double Helix owners can upgrade to Helix Express for $99.  Free 
upgrades will be available to those who purchased Double Helix after June 1, 
1992.  Competitor upgrades are available for $199 by sending the cover page 
from your present competitive database manual.

Helix Technologies Services

 Helix Technologies offers free unlimited technical support to all registered 
owners of Helix products via phone, fax, AppleLink, and America On Line.  For 
users requiring consulting services, Helix Technologies provides phone and on-
site consulting as well as referrals to registered professional developers. 
Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced training courses are held monthly in 
Northbrook, Illinois, and quarterly at regional locations.  On-site training 
is also available.

About Helix Technologies

 Helix Technologies, formed in March 1992, is headquartered in Northbrook, 
Illinois and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Albara Corporation of Conroe, 
Texas. 
Helix Technologies develops and markets innovative software solutions for the 
way people work individually and in groups. Helix Technologies' products are 
available through distributor-to-dealer channels, mail order, site licensing 
agreements, direct sales, and VARs worldwide.

                                                               ####
Subject: Helix problem with new client/server
To: double-helix@neumann.uwaterloo.ca

I just had someone hand this message to me that he found on the net.  I
was concerned as we use the helix program in the same sense.  Pardon any typos as I have yet to master all the editing options of email (i am straight
typing as I did not pull up the message)

From: Dave J (djenson@claven.idbsu.edu)
date:  Sat Oct 10, 1992

Message as follows:
"  I have been using double helix for three years now.  One of the main
reasons for choosing it was the ability to run a client and the server on the
same machine (no dedicated server for the network).  Well, Helix Express
(new owners, new name) decided to eliminate that capability...without
mentioning the fact in their upgrade offer.  So, after generating a
university purchase order, receiving the upgrade, and spending the better
part of the day updating the exisiting data base, trying to figure out why
the client on the same machine as the server wouldn't function, calling
their tech support, I find out the next day from a sympathetic tech guy..
....I can no longer get there from here!

Kim at Helix Express, on the receiving end of my indignation and upon 
hearing that I might have to look into other brands, promised, " you can
try them, but you'll come back because all the others are a bitch to
program."

Well. I realize we can continue as before without the upgrade, but I am never the less, looking.  Ours is a small database and network.  We do not want the
expense of a dedicated server."

He goes on to ask if anyone has any suggestions.  We here at UNH are also a small dept within the unibversity and do not want the expense of a dedicated
server.  In fact we purchased a rather expensive MAC for my use as the
server and client.  Does anyone else share this concern or has had this
same discovery?  I would greatly appreciate some feedback.

Jackie Taffe (J_Taffe@unhh.unh.edu)

In article <22771@venera.isi.edu>, jas@ISI.EDU (Jeff Sullivan) wrote:
> 
> In article <mike_steiner-291092114456@192.35.50.131> mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner) writes:
> 
> > I ordered my upgrade to Helix Express on Sept. 30th.  Yesterday I received
> >it (exactly 4 weeks after I mailed my check); it had been shipped on Oct
> >22; three weeks after I mailed the check.  Yesterday, I also received my
> >bank statement yesterday.  The check cleared the bank on October 5th.  That
> >means that Helix Technologies did not ship until 17 days after they cashed
> >the check (more than that, allowing for the float).  I do not like this
> >policy at all; it gives the impression that they were/are short of cash and
> >had to receive upgrade fees before they could pay for at least some of the
> >expenses involved in providing the upgrades.
> 
> Or, they cashed the check, and shippied HE as soon as it was ready.
> Maybe they even thought HE was going to be ready 2 weeks earlier than
> it was.

Most places don't cash the check until they ship the product.
 
> >Another thing that I don't like is that when you run the  buckler
> >application to join the two halves of the application, you have to enter a
> >four-digit serial number and a 20-character (approximation; I did not count
> >the exact number of characters) "enabling code."  The code is provided on a
> >mailing label that is too big to tape to the floppy disk.  If I had known
> >that the product had this protection on it, I may not have ordered the
> >upgrade.  I don't like copy protection of any sort whatsoever.
> 
> You have some really extreme definitions of copy protection--how hard
> is it to write the SN on your floppy?

The size of the label was incidental.  Why is a 20+ character alphanumeric
needed in order to install a product?  My definition of copy protection is
anything that prevents you from running the software from a direct copy of
a master disk or that requires more than a simple installation without
entering any data from elsewhere.

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Now that I have a reader that can do .sigs, I can't think of a witty |
|one to put here, so I won't.  All normal disclaimers apply.          |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+

i'm just wondering if helix express has any new feature for template
design.  I wasn't all that happy with double helix's template since i can't
even draw a line in it (or there is some way around?), or have a solid black
block for decoration purpose.  (yeah, i know, i can use pre-designed pictures,
but isn't it kinda overkill to import a picture of just a line?)

Anyways, to me double helix can make a good database, but not a pretty and
neat one.

In article <1992Nov3.032621.22626@ringer.cs.utsa.edu> you write:
>i'm just wondering if helix express has any new feature for template
>design.  I wasn't all that happy with double helix's template since i can't
>even draw a line in it (or there is some way around?), or have a solid black
>block for decoration purpose.  (yeah, i know, i can use pre-designed pictures,
>but isn't it kinda overkill to import a picture of just a line?)

Ha ha ha!...
Isn't it overkill to put MacDraw functions in a database application?
And things like spreadsheets really need full fledged word processors
too!

I know you aren't talking about polygons etc but I think it shows some
reasonable design decision not to overload the product when it can be
done using existing tools. It's unfortunate that they haven't been able
to use such saved time to correct even more annoying bugs in the
development environment.

Also designing a template within Helix means that it can only be used within
that relation (or else redrawn from scratch in all other relations).

As you said, essentially anything can be done by importing a drawing and
putting it in the background of a template. This is in fact proabbly
worth the effort because it means that the basic design can be "easily"
re-used in several relations (ie presenting a tape recorder type row of
buttons for viewing functions on edit forms).

>Anyways, to me double helix can make a good database, but not a pretty and
>neat one.

The only new features in this regard are a limited set of window
attribute options (borders, sliders, rounded, shadowed, invisible (ie
for posting/printing sequences),resize,...)

Peter