Alpha 5 Version 5 is truly Power without Problems! It's now so easy to
do so much, that the database-challenged individual can now create
applications with ease!
But the database application developers and consultants like myself were
not forgotten. The underlying XBasic and XDialog language allows us to
go further and faster than other comparable database programs, and
deliver better and more robust applications at less cost and with
shorter development times to our users and clients.
Are there applications that Alpha 5 can't handle? Maybe, but I haven't
found it yet!
Ira Perlow has been in the personal computer industry since it's inception. In 1984, he started his consulting firm, Computer Systems Design & Associates in Waltham, Massachusetts to provide PC compatibility to the industry. He was the original author of the Phoenix Technologies PC, XT and AT ROM BIOS's (the first clone BIOS available to the industry) and designer of numerous motherboards for PC Clones (including AST's 1st system, the 286 Premium-the fastest computer at that time).
He was using Dbase II to do electronic design-rule checking for his motherboard designs when he discovered Alpha Four and decided to do it the easy way! Finding that many clients also required advanced database solutions (at low development costs), his firm of Computer Systems Design & Associates has been providing Alpha Database solutions for others since 1992. In 1995, he authored the Alpha Four On-line ToolBox & Reference Guide (sold with Alpha 4 Version 6 -- still a great product!) and in 1998 the Y2K Date Adjustment product for Alpha 4 Version 3 and up. He loves to do complicated Xbasic programming (only where needed) to provide elegant routines for his client’s database applications. He has some upcoming developer and end-user products for Alpha 5 Version 5 as well.
Most recently, Ira has operated the Alpha 5 Developer's Conference in December 2000 and March 2002 He was Alpha Forum Magazine's Q&A column editor from 1992 through 1997 and continues in that tradition answering questions on Alpha Software’s Message Board.
Previous to forming his company, Ira worked for Raytheon on their Patriot Missile System radar’s computer hardware designs as well as developing a variety of software self-diagnostic methods used to repair the computers.
In the past, Ira was very involved in PC user's groups, including the Boston Computer Society, the New England Computer Society and the Boston Alpha Four User's Group. He has spoken before all of them, as well as the Worcester Computer Society.