Microsoft: "Our products aren't engineered for security" [Duh!]

Computer Weekly ^ | Friday 6 September 2002 | CW360 Staff

[rb22982]

If it doesn't play the latest MMORPGs--in a very stable gaming atmosphere--I don't want it.

[jammer]

I think you are in big trouble if Access is mission critical to you, but that's none of my business. I AM interested in your QuickBooks comment. I use it in my two corporations (and definitely don't care for it and some of the things it does). Which do you recommend?

[js1138]

Which do you recommend?

Great question. I have been in two small (<30 employees) companies recently that needed an accounting system. I don't know of any PC based system that is both affordable and good. The current company uses an Access based product called "Yes! I Can run My Own Business". It is extremely well designed from a business point of view, but it has all of the flakiness that people accuse Microsoft products of having. It doesn't actually do anything bad with data, but it sometimes has to be kicked around a bit, restarted and such. but you get all the source code, so you can add, modify and delete features, write your own reports, etc. It has modules for order entry, inventory, purchases, payroll, etc.

All the alternatives I know of cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Good luck.

[jammer]

Thanks for the reply. My corps are (obviously) small--each about 15 people. I started in 1989 with DAC-Easy, which was okay, went to QB for DOS, then went to Peachtree until I had to reformat a disk and call them for new authorization (no, the MS scheme isn't new). I said to hell with that (same as XP. Won't do it.). Then back to QB for Windows, but it seems to be really, really flaky.

[js1138]

I recommend you investigate "Yes! I Can". It also has some flakiness, but it can run multi-user, and you can modify it. I'm pretty sure you can get a trial version free or cheap.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Ah yes, Alphas.  One heckuva chipset.  I've worked with VMS on Vaxen and Alphas ever since the 11/780 (worked on quite a few other systems too).  I've always considered the AXP systems to be a cut above, although true64, IMHO, is more elegant than VMS (I say this who am a VMS weenie).  However, even though it is somewhat difficult to use, the RMS toolbox is much sweeter at file management than anything put out by any OS I have seen.

I never did consider NT on the Alpha to be an improvement over even Ultrix, much less VMS and True64.