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Re: Updated Fireworkz Pro released

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Martin Bazley

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Mar 26, 2012, 1:48:31 PM3/26/12
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The following bytes were arranged on 26 Mar 2012 by A Rawnsley :

> For those unfamiliar, Fireworkz Pro is an integrated word processor,
> spreadsheet and database package for RISC OS, with a superb level of
> integration - a table in a letter is, in fact, a fully functional
> spreadsheet, which can then be used to create a dynamic chart/graph!

So, just out of interest, now that Fireworkz not-Pro has also received
an update enabling it to work on the ARMini, does that mean there's now
going to be two rival forks of the Fireworkz source, each offering a
slightly different feature set, and only one of which is available for
free?

That went *so* well last time...

--
__<^>__ "Start off every day with a smile and get it over with."
/ _ _ \ - W.C. Fields
( ( |_| ) )
\_> <_/ ======================= Martin Bazley ==========================

Steve Fryatt

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Mar 26, 2012, 2:10:07 PM3/26/12
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On 26 Mar, Martin Bazley wrote in message
<60939c76...@blueyonder.co.uk>:

> The following bytes were arranged on 26 Mar 2012 by A Rawnsley :
>
> > For those unfamiliar, Fireworkz Pro is an integrated word processor,
> > spreadsheet and database package for RISC OS, with a superb level of
> > integration - a table in a letter is, in fact, a fully functional
> > spreadsheet, which can then be used to create a dynamic chart/graph!
>
> So, just out of interest, now that Fireworkz not-Pro has also received an
> update enabling it to work on the ARMini, does that mean there's now going
> to be two rival forks of the Fireworkz source, each offering a slightly
> different feature set, and only one of which is available for free?
>
> That went *so* well last time...

Maybe. Andrew says that "the big enhancements in this release [of Fireworkz
Pro] related to the graphs/charting features, and significantly improved
draw file export.

"As usual there were improvements to Excel import (and CSV import this time
round), as well as refinements to the menus/user interface in line with
customer feedback."

Meanwhile, the freeware Fireworkz release notes state that:

* Improved Drawfile generation.

* Fixed charts with pictures / markers.

* Better interpretation of Excel format strings such that dates now load as
dates rather than as the underlying Excel numeric serial number.

* Handle Excel workbooks (BIFF5 and onwards) that contain objects other than
worksheets, also workbooks that contain an empty first worksheet.

* Significant speedup of loading multi-worksheet Excel files.

* Handle Excel BOOLERR records.

* Fixed huge memory leak on CSV import.

* Fixed decoding of Ctrl and/or Shift Fn keys in menus.

* Shift-F3 now invokes Save Other dialogue box.

* Moved Ruler menus to View menu.

* Added New view and Close commands to View menu.

* Added Fill Down / Fill Right commands to the Edit menu.

* Added Left / Centre / Right / Full justify commands to the
Style -> Effects submenu.

I dunno. I can't see any similarities there at all... ;-)

--
Steve Fryatt - Leeds, England Wakefield Acorn & RISC OS Show
Saturday 28 April 2012
http://www.stevefryatt.org.uk/ http://www.wakefieldshow.org.uk/

Doug Webb

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Mar 26, 2012, 2:33:37 PM3/26/12
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In message <60939c76...@blueyonder.co.uk>
Martin Bazley <martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> The following bytes were arranged on 26 Mar 2012 by A Rawnsley :

>> For those unfamiliar, Fireworkz Pro is an integrated word processor,
>> spreadsheet and database package for RISC OS, with a superb level of
>> integration - a table in a letter is, in fact, a fully functional
>> spreadsheet, which can then be used to create a dynamic chart/graph!

> So, just out of interest, now that Fireworkz not-Pro has also received
> an update enabling it to work on the ARMini, does that mean there's now
> going to be two rival forks of the Fireworkz source, each offering a
> slightly different feature set, and only one of which is available for
> free?

> That went *so* well last time...

Well as I see it there is one freely available that gives you
wordprocessor and spreadsheet functionality whilst the other means you
pay a nominal fee and get extra functionality in the form of a
database function.

I do not see this being an issue as both spreadsheet and wordprocessor
elements get regular updates and keep in sync.

Doug

--
See and experience the future using ARM Technology - BeagleBoard -xM,
Cortex A8 and RISC OS 5.19.

M Harding

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Mar 26, 2012, 3:50:41 PM3/26/12
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In article <76b4a07652...@doug.j.webb.btinternet.com>,
Doug Webb <doug....@btinternet.com> wrote:
> In message <60939c76...@blueyonder.co.uk>
> Martin Bazley <martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> > The following bytes were arranged on 26 Mar 2012 by A Rawnsley :

> >> For those unfamiliar, Fireworkz Pro is an integrated word
> >> processor, spreadsheet and database package for RISC OS, with a
> >> superb level of integration - a table in a letter is, in fact, a
> >> fully functional spreadsheet, which can then be used to create a
> >> dynamic chart/graph!

> > So, just out of interest, now that Fireworkz not-Pro has also
> > received an update enabling it to work on the ARMini, does that
> > mean there's now going to be two rival forks of the Fireworkz
> > source, each offering a slightly different feature set, and only
> > one of which is available for free?

> > That went *so* well last time...

> Well as I see it there is one freely available that gives you
> wordprocessor and spreadsheet functionality whilst the other means
> you pay a nominal fee and get extra functionality in the form of a
> database function.

A database function already exists in Fireworkz, as it does in
PipeDream - similar to the Lotus123 system. Certainly I used to prefer
using that spreadsheet-style database.

Michael Harding
Rev. Preb. M.D. Harding ris...@mdharding.org.uk

Jess

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Mar 26, 2012, 5:19:55 PM3/26/12
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In message <60939c76...@blueyonder.co.uk>
Martin Bazley <martin...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

> does that mean there's now
> going to be two rival forks of the Fireworkz source, each offering a
> slightly different feature set, and only one of which is available for
> free?

> That went *so* well last time...

I get what you're referring to, but TBH, you should be thinking of
messenger / messenger pro, that worked.

--
Jess Iyonix

Doug Webb

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Mar 26, 2012, 5:25:47 PM3/26/12
to
In message <5276a7c2...@mdharding.org.uk>
M Harding <ris...@mdharding.org.uk> wrote:

[snip]

>>>

>> Well as I see it there is one freely available that gives you
>> wordprocessor and spreadsheet functionality whilst the other means
>> you pay a nominal fee and get extra functionality in the form of a
>> database function.

> A database function already exists in Fireworkz, as it does in
> PipeDream - similar to the Lotus123 system. Certainly I used to prefer
> using that spreadsheet-style database.

> Michael Harding
> Rev. Preb. M.D. Harding ris...@mdharding.org.uk

The FireWorkzPro version uses a database based on Datapower, called
RecordZ, and that is not available in the free FireWorkz version.

M Harding

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Mar 27, 2012, 5:17:13 AM3/27/12
to
In article <bf77b07652...@doug.j.webb.btinternet.com>,
Doug Webb <doug....@btinternet.com> wrote:
> In message <5276a7c2...@mdharding.org.uk>
> M Harding <ris...@mdharding.org.uk> wrote:

> [snip]

> >>>

> >> Well as I see it there is one freely available that gives you
> >> wordprocessor and spreadsheet functionality whilst the other
> >> means you pay a nominal fee and get extra functionality in the
> >> form of a database function.

> > A database function already exists in Fireworkz, as it does in
> > PipeDream - similar to the Lotus123 system. Certainly I used to
> > prefer using that spreadsheet-style database.

> The FireWorkzPro version uses a database based on Datapower, called
> RecordZ, and that is not available in the free FireWorkz version.

I recall Recordz, but didn't realise then that it was based on
Datapower.

I bought FireworkzPro when it first came onto the market, assuming
from the 'Pro' bit that it would be superior to plain Fireworkz. In
reality I found the added Recordz bit much more difficult to use and
the spreadsheet served my purposes better as a database. Sometimes
you pay for more than you need - got the tee-shirt for that!
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