Keynotes | Workshops | Schedule
Frederick Felman, Paradox Group Product Manager, and Mark De Visser, Director of dBASE Marketing will show PC Database Summit attendees how Borland's desktop databases provide the smoothest transition from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 for developers and their clients. Come see the new generation of Xbase, Visual dBASE 5.5, and learn how Paradox's exciting new 32-bit version will help you harness the power of Windows 95 with new features that make Paradox even easier to use. Hear it first at PC Database Summit: the first public preview of Paradox for Windows 95/NT.
While we add some excitement to your breakfast with huevos, chorizo and salsa, our Executive Sponsor, Wall Data's SALSA division, will add some excitement to your application backlog with a special preview of SALSA for the Desktop. The world's first business application builder is a new kind of software tool for creating personal or small workgroup applications. SALSA for the Desktop is a model-driven development tool based on Semantic Object Modeling technology. The product is designed for mainstream Windows users, but it has important implications for professional developers. SALSA represents a new development paradigm that demands to be explored. Dr. David Kroenke, the inventor of Semantic Object Modeling, will introduce the demonstration.
See vendors demonstrate and test their skills at quickly creating an end-user productivity application. Microsoft Access 7.0, Lotus Approach 3.02, Claris FileMaker Pro 2.1 for Macintosh, BORLAND INTERNATIONAL Paradox 5.0 for Windows, Microrim R:BASE 5.1 for Windows, and WALL DATA SALSA for the Desktop are the contestants. The audience joins the judges panel (Maurice Frank and Tom Spitzer of DBMS Magazine) to select the winners. Qualifying heats determine who goes to the final round held at Tuesday's luncheon.
The top developers will compete to demonstrate the flexibility, reusability, and robustness of client/server products and challenge RAD tools to see how they stand up to maintenance programming. Finalists are Trillium Software using Magic 5.7 (DOS) and Magic 6.0 (Windows) running against Btrieve 5.10a, and Borland dBASE R&D Group using Visual dBASE 5.5 running against InterBase 4.
Contestants will have completed version 1.0 of an application by the time they load it on to our computer network lab on Sunday for your perusal. After the judging of version 1.0, contestants will receive a change order Tuesday morning and have 4 hours to complete their task. Judges won't be easy on the applications as Software Testing Labs sends its top bug finder to bash on the applications. Software testability, user interface design, multi-user handling, performance, client/server characteristics, coolness, and of course, meeting the user specification, will all be judged.
Final judging will finish Tuesday afternoon when we announce the winner. Everyone is a winner though, as all attendees receive these applications on the conference CD-ROM. For more details...
Powell's Technical Books will be holding book signings throughout the conference where you will have a chance to meet and talk to these experts: James Bach, Michael R. Blaha, Joe Celko, Ken Getz, Mike Gunderloy, Dr. Terry Halpin, Michael J. Hernandez, Tom Hovis, Greg Lief, Paul Litwin, Bertrand Meyer, Dr. David Rozenshtein, Paul D. Sheriff, John Viescas and Dr. S. Bing Yao.
See fish fly as you wander through the historic district of Pike Street Farmer's Market - visit a microbrewery or vineyard - travel back to the 60's in Fremont, but watch out for trolls - party in Pioneer Square - hike Mt Rainier (see above) - hike along the Seattle waterfront - ride a monorail to the Space Needle - ride a ferry to the home port of the "Mighty Mo" or a hydrofoil to Victoria B.C. - wake up and smell the lattes and finish your day watching the sun set on the Olympic Mountains while you sample award-winning Northwest cuisine.
