If you are running Win95, you should purchase Microsoft Office Pro and
FoxPro 2.6 for your database applications; the combination of the software
will meet your every need and it is tailor made to multitask in the Win95
system.
Office Pro contains Excell, the most widely used (if not the best)
spreadsheet application which will deal with any iteration and number
crunching with the least amount of learning time; it also contains Access, a
very easy to use database with some relational capabilities. You also get
Word and Powerpoint and all the other stuff that will stop your computer
from doing just database applications and make it a coveted station for all
the bleary eyed 286 users in your space.
I have worked with Filemaker (easy to use and very good), Dbase (eeuwh, try
chiseling your data in stone if you want an upgrade), and Paradox (becoming
more and more versitle, but still pretty cumbersome to get around in). The
one I not only suggest but also use most frequently in designing PC systems
for the longhaul is FoxPro. 2.6 is still one of the fastest and most
efficent engines for data management you can get. It's normal interface is
not the best for novice users, but if you are used to Dbase it will be a
pretty gentle transition. It supports OLE and other graphics features for
your multimedia bliss, and you can drag and drop in Win95 (get lots of
RAM... be forewarned). The development enviornment (if you want to develop
your own screens for novice and technophobic users with pretty buttons and
big print) is very powerful and versitle. It takes some getting used to,
but there are some wizards that make it pretty painless for basic stuff and
getting started. Be careful, it can be addictive.
Foxpro visual basic 3.0 is available now for a pretty hefty price tag. I've
caught some wind about it being a version of Orcale Lite, but I have no
experience with it personally. For compatability, which should be your big
concern, 2.6 should meet every need you have for a long time. the times I
have used paradox have reminded me of drinking Pepsi instead of Coke... If
you prefer word perfect to microsoft word, you may want to consider it.
No matter what you do, buy the "Dummies" books. Even if you know what's up,
they'll be worth it. All the programmers I know keep them under their
pillows and don't tell anyone about it.
happy hunting,
David Johnson
Systems Administrator and Archaeologist
At 09:09 AM 10/8/96 -0400, you wrote:
>I have a technical question for y'all. We've gotten a new computer in the
>lab - a Pentium running Win95 - to do our database management and
>number-crunching. Most of the software we have is is of the same vintage
>as our '286. We do most of our analysis on ollllldddddddddddd versions of
>dBase and Paradox. So, I am wondering what you technologically hip folks
>out there recommend we purchase. Any recommendations, reviews, warnings,
>etc. gratefully accepted.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Ed
>
>Edward Rodley email: [log in to unmask]
>Historical Archaeology program
>UMass/Boston
>
> Opinions expressed are the author's alone (thankfully)
>___________________________________________________________
>
La Salle Shipwreck Project -- Texas Historical Commission
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