Paradox or Access? 3

[Earth]

Hi
My company is currently looking at the advantages of the two software packages. Cost is an issue. So is the fact that we currently have a fairly large Access database.
So my basic questions are:
(a) Are there any tools available to aid in converting an Access97 db to Paradox?
(b) Does Paradox offer any major advantages over Access (aside from the obvious it's not a Microsoft product and is therefore.... cheaper)?
(c) Pertaining to the Paradox Developer's Edition...the Corel website states "Develop custom applications, then distribute them royalty-free with Paradox 9 Runtime". Does this mean that, in a given company, one copy of Developer's Edition could be purchased, a db created, and then this db could be distributed/installed to all other PC's in the company without having to buy other Paradox licenses?

Thanks in advance, I'm sure I'll have more to ask.

 

[footpad]

ssilver,

Sorry. No. But you can post a consultant ad on

http://thedbcommunity.com

and possibly search their listings of "who's using Paradox" for local people to approach.

 

[ibearian]

I like access and would like to like paradox. Access is quick and easy, it fits in with ms office and via ODBC goes to all other apps dead easy. Paradox has the bde (i know it came first but that doesn’t make it better) and it is a pain in the bum to administer. Each pc has a bde client and each have to point to net dir etc, etc, (you may already know). This takes time and time and a lot more time. It is ODBC compliant through a third party driver... and this is not without problems see this list for examples. If ODBC is a deciding factor then Paradox is not for you.

You can only link to one net directory (site) without changing config settings in paradox. With the VPN and NT drive WAN's you cannot access a db on another site (because it has a different net directory). With access you can use any database without changing settings.

Multiple users slow access but i have never seen a lost record. The same cannot in my opinion be said about Paradox. We find more than 5 simultaneous users on our (havenstar) our paradox app cause loss of records, relationship losses etc. I have seen 3 pc's with the same customer account but 3 different unique products attached, when they should have shown the same. So it can happen !

Are Borland/Corel committed to paradox? i don't know but they recently dropped their flagship product INTERBASE. Ms seam as ever committed to Access. People do look down their nose at access, in much the same way they do at VB (visual basic) but if it get the job done with less hassle more fool them. From most of the paradox/delphi creations i have seen the main driving factor has been cost and the delphi/paradox route is cheaper (short term) than VB/VC++ and sql.

if you think access is not good enough then upgrade to MS SQL. it is far better than either paradox or access and yes it cost more but you get a lot more for your money.

So which is best ? well if you use corel office then paradox. if you use anything else then access, is just easier if your business is earning money or providing a service, then what do you care if its MS or Corel. If you’re not a software developer you just want what’s easiest. These techies and developers get these suites that make their life easier, but as a professional (who is technical but not a c++ programmer) you want what’s best for you staff and you. Have you not sat there and thought when doing budgets or forecasts or schedules 'I would pay an extra £100.00 out of my own pocket, just give me the information i want'. Don't be swayed by the Paradox is for big boys, (its for anoraks, unless you have corel office.)

A frustrated paradox interrogator

 

[jlockley]

As a single copy user I would probably try to educate myself on Access if I had to start over again, if only because it seems to me that Corel brings far less committement to Paradox than to its other products. Paradox 10 for non programmers is only bundled with the entire office suite, which is pricey enough, and looking at the Corel news groups, it becomes very apparent that many switching to it are having similar problems, which Corel is not extremely forthcoming in solving.

Unlike Microsoft, which carries past versions of product, Corel has ceased selling and supporting all previous versions, althoug the knowledge base is still on the web site.

I also find it disoncerting that Corel has patches for P10 (sp2) on the web site and on disk, but that the web site service pack is apparently less effective than that which has to be ordered (albeit at no price). The company just doesn't seem to care much about the product.