[hacked quotes from Ross] >Vis�ge is NOT a terminal emulator on steroids - it is a >complete application development framework,
That is a fundamental point which most people miss. AccuTerm is not an application development environment along the lines of Vis�ge, and I will include Nucleus and DesignBAIS in this class. This is EXTREMELY important. - If you already have an app (and you wouldn't be in this forum unless you do), and you'd like to add a consistent overall look and feel, then these tools are great. Existing apps like this require the modularization that we've been discussing here, but much more than that, a RAD (Rapid Application Development) tool will require consistency to be applied to modules across the program set. - Other tools like Coyote, FlashCONNECT, or the ATGUI are more tactical than strategic. In other words, they allow you to GUItize specific parts of your application, and it's up to you to provide the look and feel. A more wholistic approach requires a consistency in design and/or a RAD to help. Comparing AccuTerm to a RAD is apples to oranges - there are few valid comparisons. But every one of these tools requires code modularization as we've been discussing in this sub-thread. There is one product which is enjoying a Phoenix-like rebirth: Symbion is a RAD built on the AT GUI. Like some other products, building a GUI in Symbion also builds a CUI with zero additional effort, which is highly valuable - because as we all know, the GUI sells the app but real work is done with the CUI. :) I was _very_ impressed with the data entry and inquiry screens, and reports generated in this environment. I don't know if there is a U2 port yet. Contact Gary Huffer [EMAIL PROTECTED] for info, tell him Tony sent ya. :) >However, if you are looking at doing something MORE than just >firing off a windows EXE, like "enriching" the user experience >when interacting with your multi-valued data (read GUI)... I think AccuTerm should be given more credit. I have to admit that I didn't think the ATGUI was very full featured when it first came out, but I've re-evaluated that early impression and I think others should too. ATGUI allows an MV developer to build a rich VB-looking GUI with no VB code in a reasonable amount of time - and with no firing off of a Windows EXE. Seeing Symbion in action was proof to me that ATGUI can build everything an end-user needs. >For example, aligning this back to the original post, rather >than attempting to use CR for reporting, I'd simply create a >Vis�ge.BIT cube to give the users free-form enquiry and data >exploration facilities into their UV database. In our case we >have replaced >300 sales analysis reports currently provided >in our R5 system with a single Sales Cube - and this is one >of the facilities that makes Vis�ge "better" than AccuTerm ! Ross, tone it down a little bud, the salesman in you is inhibiting an objective technical assessment. - First, as stated above, AccuTerm isn't designed for doing these functions, so claiming to be "better" isn't a valid comptetive analysis. - Second, Vis�ge and Vis�ge.BIT are two different products geared at different audiences. Please don't confuse them as one product to give the impression that Vis�ge does it all. - Third, the pricing for a Vis�ge package compared to AccuTerm is vastly different. For US$100 we can get a single-user seat of AT with ATGUI to do what it does, or for a few thousand dollars we can get Vis�ge products to do much more expanded functions. Vis�ge no doubt provides value in what it does, with a good ROI for sites that can use the functions, etc. But eagerness to seize a marketing opportunity in forum threads should be tempered with some perspective of what it is that you're trying to compete against and what the market is willing to pay for those features. - Fourth, please, you may have created a data cube to provide data to 300 reports, but the functional reports themselves still need definition and formatting. So you still have to work with 300 reports, there's no magic there, and it's not valid to imply otherwise, especially when AccuTerm isn't designed to be a report generation environment. I'm impressed with Vis�ge.BIT and I'm a fan of MITS as well, but neither product provides the formatting which is the specialty of CR. Again, apples to apples and horses for courses are in order. Always interested in your comments, always aware of the fluff. :) Tony -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
