Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop From: sysop@stech.UUCP (Jan Harrington) Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac Subject: Re: 4Dimension ??? Message-ID: <335@stech.UUCP> Date: Thu, 3-Dec-87 06:51:54 EST Article-I.D.: stech.335 Posted: Thu Dec 3 06:51:54 1987 Date-Received: Mon, 7-Dec-87 00:07:05 EST References: <6839@apple.UUCP> Organization: Scholastech, Inc., Waltham, Mass. Lines: 59 in article <6839@apple.UUCP>, dwb@apple.UUCP (David W. Berry) says: > > In article <54300005@upba> bill@upba.UUCP writes: >> Has anybody had any experience with 4Dimension. It is a >> database program put out by Apple. A couple of questions >> for you since I have only worked with the Demonstrator >> model? > Actually, it's put out by Acius, another company in Cupertino, > currently headed by Guy Kawasaki, who used to an Evangelizer for > Apple. Note that this is yet another company besides Apple and Claris, > Apple's recent software spinoff. >> >> 1. Does this program import data from Excel and Micorsoft >> File? How much work goes into this transfer and does >> the manual show how this is done? The demonstrator >> really didn't go into much detail about this step. >> >> 2. What problems have you experienced that might cause >> me not to purchase this software. So far, what I have >> seen, I am really impressed, but don't want to buy >> it if I will continue to have problems that are not >> supported. I plan on using this with a Racet hard >> drive and about 4 mac's with dove boards. There's a review of 4D in the November MacUser (I'm sure of it, since I wrote it. Note to Chuq: no flames please ...) You're right about the program being very powerful. It can import data in ASCII, SYLK and DIF format, which means you can easily get data from either Excel or Microsoft file. The manual is relatively clear, or at least as clear as 4D manuals get. Personally, I like the documentation, but I'm a programmer ... The problem with 4D is not just speed (if people think 4D is slow, check out dBase Mac!). Because the program in so complex, the learning curve for productive use is very high. There is a _lot_ of documentation, and you've got to wade through most of it to get a good picture of the package. If you're not a programmer, you probably won't be happy with 4D (Guy Kawasaki disagrees, but that's another story). In other words, to tap the power behind 4D, you've got to write code. Support is an interesting issue. Acius is a very small company, and their support staff, while not quite vapor, is limited. There are, however, a number of independent developers working with the package who have a very visible presence on CompuServe in the MacBiz forum. They seem very willing to answer questions. Jan Harrington, sysop Scholastech Telecommunications ihnp4!husc6!amcad!stech!sysop or allegra!stech!sysop ******************************************************************************** Miscellaneous profundity: "No matter where you go, there you are." Buckaroo Banzai ********************************************************************************