DataEase 8 is just a working title as we don’t yet know what we are going to call this baby. Maybe it will be eight. Internally we have divided it in 7.3 and 7.5 which it definitely will not be, as it’s going to be leaps ahead and in DataEase for Windows terms it would be more like 73 and 705 if you measure it by functionality changes and progress. The work on “8” has already progressed quite far and early versions of both the DQL editor and the future core and web functionality is already being tested, but the next leap for DataEase will be a major one, and as such it will necessarily take some time.

7.3

This is the first version that the new team will call their own. We cannot move on, until we have fixed and made the latest version better than the last real DataEase, 4.53. So what is missing? I guess you all know the answer; A proper DQL editor, the ease of use (that I guess gave us the name some long time ago) and the sheer flexibility and obvious logic to the product that made it a favorite amongst low end users and enterprises alike.

In 7.3 we will drop the entire DQL approach that was hastily introduced with DFW 2.0 (Called 5 to correspond with the DfD range). It was never a proper fix, as it was based on the old DQL with the barest of interfaces, simply an edit box without even the simplest structuring facilities, some clunky pick boxes all glued together with some old bits and pieces of the Express product to make a "complete" solution. When some "brainiac" realized that they had forgotten that DQL was widely used for exporting etc, a quick fix was envisioned that in matter of usability and quality was even more appalling than the DQL module itself. One would believe that over the 15 years that followed, someone would realize the error of their way and correct this, but no, instead it was chosen to use this same horrible editor when OML was introduced.

This is all to change, we promise that the new DQL editor will be as useful and useable as the old DFD one; we will even be so bold to say that it's going to be better, much better.

I guess it's no surprise to any DataEase user if we say that DataEase has been very behind in most if not all areas over the years, maybe always. DataEase has never been mainstream, but when that in the good old days made DataEase better, it has been the opposite for DfW. We will use this opening to thank all loyal supporters for staying with it, you have been outstanding, you have been patient, you have endured. We left the product in 1995 and only looked back in when 7 was released, to be, honestly speaking, disappointed all over again. When we started to look into DataEase we realized two things. That the good old DataEase is still in there, and that to make it flourish again, some serious updating, changes and redevelopment was needed. In 7.6 we will introduce Rich Text field and labels. We will reintroduce proper language support, we will sort out the locking problems by splitting the product in back and front end - this should have been done ages ago - we will kill off the weird 3d controls and introduce standard OS controls in the forms. We will further reintroduce the simple logic of the print format of DfD combined with form filling abilities, both for DataEase .FRM's, PDF etc. The good old DQL export is of course also re-introduced. We will also get rid of the Dialog based interface and introduce a pallet/toolbar interface in design mode that make it easier to change properties, and maintain BRL, look and feel.

An exhaustive article on 7.6 is published on this site.

7.5

We are sorry for rambling on about history and future in equal shares. The scope of this article is not to explain the different versions in exhaustive detail, but to try and tell you that we have realized that our performance over the years has not always been the best and  that we in the future will try to recreate the core idea of DataEase and even improve on it.

Over the years, there have been some attempts to approach the web, none, frankly speaking, very successful. 7.5 is our next attempt to bridge this gap. In 7.5 the restoration of DataEase is finished and this will be the last version before version 8 - the complete new and modern DataEase. 7.5 will be based on the same framework as all 7 versions, but it will be radically changed. In 7.5 we will introduce a new .FRM format that is no longer fix place oriented, but a free floating format ala HTML. We will also rewrite OML and replace it with Ajax. Even though the design format will be our own .FRM the RT format will be HTML etc. Simply put, the runtime version of DataEase in 7.7 will be completely web based, and it will not be as limited as WebPublisher etc.

The full force of the DataEase might will be unleashed on the web, and we will introduce views, browser approach to viewing and searching and full free text search in the entire DataEase form/database.

This is just a little taste and we will, as things progress, publish news and previews of how these product will be and how it will benefit you as a user. The good thing is that everything you make in 7.2, everything you have made in any Windows version of DataEase and everything you have made in DataEase for Dos will work seamlessly in 7.5 at the latest (This is DfD applications), but most likely already in 7.4 (All windows application will of course work seamlessly in both 7.3 and 7.5).

DataEase Re-Launch Amnesty.

From 1st July DataEase is re-launched both as an independent software company and as a contemporary application development tool for ad-hoc and evolutionary development of advanced business critical applications. The goal of the new management is to put DataEase back on the world map and in its rightful place as one of the world's most popular and most loved software packages.

DataEase has a big following worldwide and our beta program had registered beta testers in almost every nation on the planet. We have also been in contact with people that uses all versions of DataEase from 2.12! via 2.5, 4.0, 4.24, 4.53 to 6.53 and 7.1. All numbers familiar to the old DataEase “dog”, some revered and some loathed.

DataEase has had a long and at times turbulent history, both as a company and as a product.  We know that more than 3 million licenses have been issued over the years, but a lot of these licenses were registered on distributors, partners, resellers etc  names and not on the current license holder. As many of these have seized to trade and their registrations have hence been lost, we have no good way of knowing who you all are.

Now that we have made a fresh start, we will want to give all of you the same. We have decided to call a License Amnesty so that all DataEase users can register their licenses with us, and when they are registered we will grant you full upgrade entitlements on any DataEase license however old for only £99 pr user license.

We have also decided that we are willing to consider any evidence that you are the legal holder of this license, as a scanned copy of the original disks, your license number, an invoice or receipt, a copy of the original manuals all accompanied by a statement from you to how many user licenses you believe you hold.

Should you have none of these, but are sure that you at some time have bought DataEase, you can even submit this and if convinced we will grant you the licenses at face value.

This offer is for a limited time only, so be quick and register and upgrade your existing licenses to 7.2, and please tell all your friends, family and colleagues so they don’t miss out on this fantastic offer.