Cease and Desist: ParadoxCommunity no more!

Our Workbench for Paradox product used to be called Paradox Workbench until the lawyers at Corel asked us to change it. After a short one sided discussion, they told me I could use Workbench for Paradox (i.e. Paradox for Windows).

Thanks Rick for the very nice words and ITS GREAT to see you back in the boards again!!! I hope you find time to contribute now and then again. You don't need sleep!  Either way, thanks for all your contributions.

I don't really have any contacts at Corel any more. I used to but not any more. The support guys sometimes refer customers our way when they need help so I do appreciate that. My biggest complaint with Corel is that they don't seem to recognize that it is a viable desktop database. Yes, it's not as good a development tool as Delphi nor VS.Net, etc. but it is as good as Access and other desktop databases. There was a time when most power-users would buy a word processor, spreadsheet, a bitmap graphics editor, AND A DESKTOP DATABASE! Now most users make do with just a spreadsheet program to manage data and don't really understand the place for desktop databases.

I think it would take very little to make Paradox much more successful:

1. Start selling it separately again.
2. Market it as a desktop database for power users who need something more than a spreadsheet.
3. Market it to high-end developers to work with data at the same time they write database apps in their tool of choice and for general data manipulation. There IS A REASON why Borland bundled it with the first few versions of Delphi as the Desktop Database.
4. STOP trying to market it as an internet solution.
5. STOP trying to market it as a development tool that can compete with VS.Net and Delphi.
6. Add at least one or two new features per version, even if they are minor.

Paradox is powerful and easy to use. In fact it's so powerful, you CAN build robust database applications in it today. It's true that my company generally prefers other better suited tools such as Delphi or VS.Net, but you can and for some types of situations, the open data architecture of a Paradox application is actually preferred to a closed EXE solution.

 Any way, that's my two cent.

Perfect example. I think your case is the perfect case. I understand that large companies spend millions each year on software development and it's difficult for Paradox (or any  desktop database) to compete in that market. Yes, it would be nice if Corel had a big budget and could add all the features needed to at least compete in that market (similar to all the features that were added VFP), but they don't. I still believe there is a market for Paradox with small businesses/entrepreneurs, power-users within large corporations, power-user hobbyists, researchers working with data, etc.

I expanded on my post that your replying to with my "The Future of Paradox" Blog Topic. I'd be interested in your thoughts on that if you have a chance to read it:

• The Future of Paradox Blog

Thanks Charles for the kind words.

As for Paradox and Access, I think you summed it up pretty well. I'm an eternal optimist so I'm still hopeful Corel well do something with Paradox. They did just release a Vista patch for the latest version this year, so that's something.

Also, Access offers more OO features than ObjectPAL does. Here's my ObjectPAL and Access VBA Cross Reference Guide:

• http://www.prestwood.com/ASPSuite/KB/CrossRef.asp?LangID=1&ToLangID=11&View=All

Thats enough of that. Ed.

Well, if you ask me the whole thing is a bit of a paradox in itself   

Thats enough of that. Ed.

A shame Corel doesn't know how to do anything but run what was once such an excellent product into the ground, and yet they're so protective about the name!

Mike, do they even remember who you are, and all you've done to promote Paradox and help its users over the years? Probably not.

Well, thanks from me for all you've done, Mike, for what it's worth!

We can only hope that Borland/CodeGear/Embarcadero never license off another one of their excellent products to such deadbeats again!

I have a small business (me and 2 part-time staff) and run Paradox interactively for stock control, invoicing and running sales reports. We have a database with over 100,000 records and  Paradox processes these with an ease of use and speed that no spreadsheet could match and has been doing so since the Ansa days I have had a few glitches over the years but (with a lot of help from the likes of this board) most of these have been overcome. My business relies on Paradox to operate successfully. The point I would like to make is that because it is SO EASY to develop the interactive practical use of Paradox, without the need for complex programming, that there must be thousands and thousands of operations like mine that could have this product marketed to them - if Corel were interested. Obviously, it would be lovely to have all our reporting and querying  tied up nicely in PAL applications but if you don't have the time or financial resources to develop using programming you can still ensure a hugely beneficial effect on your business, simply by sitting down, creating tables and typing data in. After that, it is so easy to manipulate and report on your data and (in our case) to create files that can be quickly uploaded to the net to maximise sales. I completely agree that if Paradox were to be marketed separately, upgraded regularly (with a few features added now and then) and supported properly, there would be a huge market for it in small and microsmall business.

Thanks Mike, I have read your blog with interest and have posted my comments, basically reiterating what I have said here. It is comforting to know that in a world of high tech development there is still an understanding of why using a powerful product in simple interactive mode is actually the best practical option for some people (like myself!)

I just ran across this thread and would like to add a few observations.  I work as a database application developer for a major municipal utility.  My work entails maintaining and extending Pardox applications that have been in use for many years, but I also develop for Access, MS SQL, and Oracle.

The utility has a large technology budget, and some very expensive systems - a city-wide permitting system (Oracle based), a work-order system, and they are installing a new billing system which is a customization of an Oracle application.  They continue to use and maintain these "legacy" systems, however, because of two factors:  1) The legacy databases were developed by or under the supervision of the end-users, and as such they incorporate a far better understanding of the business rules and model than outside developers can accomplish.  2) The "canned" applications force the end-users to modify their systems and practices to fit the requirements of the application, rather than accommodating their needs.

In my view, there will be a place for Paradox and Access so long as this situation continues.  Top management will push for large-scale systems that allow management to "roll-up" statistics, while departmental management will continue to push for small-scale systems that meet their specific needs. 

The difference between Paradox and Access, in my limited experience, is with the support of the two products.  Microsoft continues to develop Access and to support and thoroughly document VBA, while Corel has left Paradox to fend for itself. 

So long as there is a viable community such as yours which serves the role that Corel has abdicated in supporting Paradox, there will be a market for Paradox development.  Thanks to Mr. Prestwood and Mr. Green, among others, there is life in Paradox yet. 

I am new to Paradox development, and learning every day, but I continue to be impressed with the product.  Let's hope Corel gets the message and gives the product its due support.