Your host:
Harry Doldersum.
MCBase
PictureBook
SQLBox
TGrab
GhostlyEye
Knowledge Base
Our geneology
Cauce.org
July 2011 issue.
For the previous issue, januari 2006, click here.
Dear user,
Thank you for using (or evaluating) the Doldersum.com software products, we appreciate your interest and ongoing support. Please find below, some information on the developments of last year and our new plans for 2011.
(Readers that aren't familiar with the products mentioned in this newsletter, may find links to the mentioned products on the left side of this page. These links will take you to the product information pages, where all details on the various applications can be found. In case of any questions, please feel free to contact us).
We'd like to bring following items to your attention:
- Development stop for our applications GhostlyEye, MCBase, PictureBook, SQLBox and TGrab.
- The Product KnowledgeBase.
- Changes at the Doldersum.com domain.
- Finally.
Dear users of our software,
When I began...
When I started out writing computer software, back in 1988 (& a little earlier), I had really no idea where it would take me. At the time, I hadn't even thought of distributing anything I had written. My first application was written fully in Dutch & tailored only to respond to my own requirements and was set up in such a way that it dealt with the limitations of the computer hardware I was using at that moment.
It was only after the response of friends that I thought that distribution of my software might be interesting to look at. Hence, I set out to rewrite my first application into a form that might be helpful to other users besides myself.
Over the years, I've now written software for various platforms - migrating my code where possible, rewriting concepts where needed (with the help of various colleague programmers and certainly a considerable amount of support from Borland's Delphi USENET newsgroups: my thanks to all of these people, you've taught me a lot).
Where we are today...
Recently, though, the changes in computer operating system requirements are becoming increasingly demanding and now that Microsoft has introduced their new Windows version 7 operating systems, I find that my code libraries are no longer up to date and would require yet another rewrite in order to maintain functional.
I figure, this is then a good moment to stop developing my software. We've had a good run, from 1988 until 2011 and I really enjoyed this period & it's challenges.
What now?
Our applications will still be supported in their current state, mostly because I'm still using them myself as well: I still have a Windows XP computer for this purpose.
Apart from this, it might well be possible that our database applications (i.e.: MCBase, PictureBook & SQLBox) will still run on a standard Windows 7 operating system: the testing is underway and the results will be published fairly soon (we will update this "2011" newsletter then).
As the graphic screen grabber applications (being TGrab & GhostlyEye) are making specific memory calls, they will not be compatible with the new operating systems.
I would like to point out, that the Microsoft Windows 7 Professional & Enterprise operating systems would allow you to install a Windows XP mode. According to Microsoft, this would be an "Windows XP" compatible environment, that would allow you to run most XP-compatible applications.
Any alternatives?
When it comes to the support of handling multi-media objects inside the database system, there is no real alternative, I'm afraid: the Paradox "DB" database standard is rather unique in this point.
Our database applications MCBase & PictureBook, come with a utilities package, that allows export of "normal" data to the dBaseIV and plain ASCII formats. These export formats can be picked up by virtually any database system out in the market today.
Should you want to export your data from MCBase or PictureBook, please keep in mind that these two export formats do not support multi-media files (nor any other database format of today, without special programming), like MCBase & PictureBook do with help of their Paradox database standard & the Borland Database Engine (BDE).
Hence the export routine would not include the multi-media memo's in the exported data: you will need to export these manually, using the standard built-in functionality in the multi-media windows within the MCBase & PictureBook applications.
The Product Knowledge Base files, (one file for each application), contain details about your application. Please visit this page to retrieve the file for your application, when required.
If there is a specific topic that you're looking for, that should be included in a product's Knowledge Base file, please contact us with your details. From a product support perspective, we will keep this available for existing users for quite some time.
As you may have noticed, some changes are already underway. The domain has moved away from being a point of sales for our software applications and is now beginning to focus on support only for these products, as well as other interests. The family & friends forum & the photo gallery and also our family's genealogy website are examples of the new direction.
We will keep the software product pages up for a few more years, to support our existing users. Microsoft announced to end their Windows XP support somewhere in the near future: we will keep our support available to you for at least the same period, probably somewhat longer. During this time, all information and downloads will remain, be it that the software distribution packages will be re-assembled, to indicate their new status (i.e. for product support purposes only).
Note: The current downloadable packages still contain their ordering information: please be advised that this ordering information is now obsoleted.
Many Thanks To All, Who:
- have helped me to develop myself as a programmer.
- have assisted in the testing of the applications.
- helped to publish & distribute my software over the internet, making it available to their users.
- have used & appreciated my applications and decided to support their development by purchasing a user license.
Best regards,
Harry Doldersum,
http://www.Doldersum.com