Can the new dBASE solve Ashton-Tate's problems? Loyal customers are rewarded, but new ones are needed to rebuild market share
Article Abstract:
Ashton-Tate has released a new, improved version of the company's dBASE data base management program. Version 1.1 apparently fixes problems that afflicted its predecessor, version 1.0. The new version, which costs $795, is faster, has more features, and requires less memory. Owners of version 1.0 can get the upgrade without charge. Analysts say that the new version may allow Ashton-Tate to keep customers who have been waiting for years for a powerful, reliable upgrade to dBASE III-Plus. But the company's delays in shipping the update have eroded the base of support for dBASE, which once had a much larger share of the data base market. According to International Data Corp, dBASE had 40 percent of the market in 1989, compared with 62.5 percent in 1985. The fact that Ashton-Tate has promised to produce versions of dBASE for DEC VAX machines, for Sun workstations and for Macintosh microcomputers might work in the company's favor.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1990
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The envelope please - and with an address
Article Abstract:
The Avery Commercial Products Division introduces MacLabelPro and LabelPro, the Apple Macintosh and MS-DOS versions of graphics software that help users print on to envelopes. Both versions of the software cost $99.95 and can print shipping labels, diskette labels, file folder labels, transparencies, Rolodex cards and envelope labels. A box of blank Avery forms costs between $5 and $7. The software includes some simple clip-art and works with standard graphics files. Users can create their own logos and artwork, and incorporate the images into labels. The software also grabs names and addresses from databases and spreadsheets. The Mac version comes with LabelPrinter desk accessory, which grabs a name and address from a business letter without having to quit the word processing program. LabelPro also allows users to print bar codes.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1992
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Next best to a brush
Article Abstract:
Wacom Inc's $695 SD-510C is a pressure-sensitive digitizer and Time Arts Inc's $795 Oasis computer graphics software program for Apple Macintosh combine to provide users with the ability to paint on a computer screen. The SD-510C is made up of a six-inch-by-nine-inch tablet and a cordless stylus. The device allows users to paint invisibly on the tablet and have their work displayed on a computer screen. The SD-510C used with the Oasis software program provides users with much versatility in painting on computer screens; users can draw, paint with broad brush or airbrush their designs. The Oasis software program allows users to control many aspects of their paintings including color and stroke density.
Publication Name: The New York Times
Subject: News, opinion and commentary
ISSN: 0362-4331
Year: 1991
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