🚀 go-pugleaf

Florian Gutzwiller wrote:

>I understand that the 50 NeXT developers at Lotus are working on the Windows  
>version of Improv. I also understand that since the very first release of  
>Improv there have been no new releases and enhancements. Many spreadsheets 
>are coming out, but none of them offers the way Improv handles data. Still
>that's not enough. Some of the features I would like to see:
>
>	- proper support of the NeXT keyboard (non US)
>	- better color support
>	- 3.0 version with object linking
>	- better graphics (better text, 3DKit, ...)
>
>Will there ever be a new version ?
>

I recently read somewhere (I can't remember exactly--but I think it was a
NeXTworld Extra article--that Lotus has dropped development of the NeXT
version of Improv indefinitely, citing 'lack of sales volume'. Let's see.
They gave the program away for several months to new NeXT owners, they 
didn't have any sort of copy protection or registration procedure, and
they haven't fixed the problems that hinder the program from being
exceptionally useful to everyone--not just financial users. Surprise!
It isn't selling like hotcakes! Do they think it _will_ sell just because
they port it to Windoze?

My list of improvements that would make Improv my numero uno spreadsheet:

1. A macro capability.
2. An undo feature.
3. Handling of numeric data as category names (sorely needed).
4. Closely related to 3: Chart data with non-equally spaced numeric
   X values.
5. A significantly improved Presentation Builder with support for
   'real' pie charts and line graphs (multiple line types for better
   data ID). Better text handling (buggy now).
6. An end to the 2000 item barrier per worksheet.

Obviously some of these things _will_ be fixed and/or improved for the 
Windoze port. Also, all the hype regarding Lotus' real interest in users
has been just that--hype. No newsletter, no mailings, no book to help
really learn how to use the product in any depth, and no mention in
Lotus' own magazine. Improv is not easy to learn--it's sort of like
OO programming after years of procedural programming--you have to
relearn...

One more thing, Windoze programming must be a real nightmare if it's
taken Lotus 2-3 years to port. Or those 50 NeXT programmers all quit. :-)

Michael McCulloch
Huntsville, AL

Waiting to upgrade to an improved NeXT Improv...and will pay a
reasonable fee.