#Maxiplan ???
28 messages in this thread
Folks,
1. MaxiPlan DOES have an ARexx port.
2. At this time there is no longer distribution for MaxiPlan. If you are
interested in updates/upgrades please let me know at:
1199 Forest Ave
Suite 264
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
Attn: MaxiPlan
3. The reason MaxiPlan gives so many 'Memory' "errors" is that it
allocates in BIG blocks and then frees them in smaller blocks.
I have verified that at end-of-execution all blocks are freed. This
technique is not 'illegal' and dates from MaxiPlan's 1985 origins.
Imagine that? an Amiga app that is 9 years old!
Thanks to all for your years of support. If anyone is interested
in distribution or improvements please e-mail me or write to
the address above.
Mike Lehman
Author of MaxiPlan
Hi, I am currently using vers. 4.09 is this the latest version? I have been
using Maxiplan since 1988 and like it a lot. Could I get to mail me the latest
vers. ?
Thanks….
Yes, 4.09 is the latest version. I'm still trying to decide if it is
financially feasible to put further work into the product. If I do
decide to make an upgrade I've got considerable work to do to bring
it up to the latest style guide standards, etc.
Mike,
I missed the beginning of this thread so i don't know if your asking for
comments or not. I have checked out MaxiPlan on a friends machine and
decided not to buy it because of the old style interface, I almost bought
Procalc, but now Gold disk isn't planning at the moment to support it with
future upgrades, so I passed on it as well. I've been hoping someone
would come out with a good WB2.0-3.0 style spreadsheet for the amiga
(I heard Khalid was working on one, but I've heard that for over a year
now), but alas, it hasn't happened.
I'm almost ready (shudder to think) to purchase a PC emulator in order to
use a DOS spreadsheet, or possibly the emplant and get a MAC version. I
would prefer an Amiga spreadsheet though as long as it isn't "lame", and I
WILL buy the first such one that comes out, if one ever comes out.
Just a few of my comments in case they help.
=Rick=
Richard,
Stefan Ossowski's Schatztruhe
Gesellschaft fuer Software mbH
Veronikastrasse 33
D-45131 Essen
Germany
Phone: ++49-201-788778
Fax : ++49-201-798447
distributes "TurboCalc V2.0", awarded "best Spreadsheet Program on the
Amiga" by german Magazine Amiga plus and good/very good marks by the two
other main mags on the german market.
Features: (quote from ad, translation errors (c)1994 Christian Busse ;^)
Design:
– extensive formatting possibilities
– any fonts, including the new scalable ones
– any colours
– frames in several widths, also 3D look
– column width and row height freely selectable
– more than 40 number, time, and date formats
Functions:
– more than 100 function out of 7 areas
– functions in german as well as English
– easy function entry using mouse
Diagrams:
– several diagram styles (horizontal/vertival bars, lines, dots,
circles…) each with different parameters
– headers and footers in any font
– several colours and patterns
– legend and axis labeling can be shown
– output as IFF file or graphical printout
Macro/ARexx:
– more than 120 macro commands for all areas incl. conditional branching,
loops, user prompting and running external programs
– ARexx port with more than 120 commands (analog to macro commands)
– recording mode as well as "step-by-step execution" for easy macro
development
– easy function input using mouse
– custom menu entries via macros
Database:
– integrated database with search, copy, and delete with any search
criteria and database functions
Printout:
– Output using printer font (fast printout) or graphics printout (needs
OS>=2.0): colours, fonts/attributes, frames and grids will be printed,
printout size can be scaled to like
Operation:
– complete mouse or keyboard operation
– symbol bar (hideable)
– complete in german language
– ca. 200 page manual
Technical data:
– spreadsheet size limited only by available memory
– unlimited number of open spreadsheets (with any number of windows each)
– import of foreign formats (MS Excel, Professional Calc, CSV/ASCII)
– fully OS2.x style guide compatible
– screen mode and fonts freely selectable
– support for new screen modes of OS2.x/3.x
– very fast (coded fully in assembler)
Hardware requirements:
– Commodore Amiga
– Kickstart 1.2/1.3, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0
– 512KB RAM (1MB recommended)
– printout possible on all standard printers
Price:
DM 149,00 (less than US$ 90,00)
DM 157,00 (cheque) when shipped outside Germany.
I don't know whether they do an English version as well or are planning to
do one but I can ask them if anyone's interested…
Ciao,
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.06………..
I would be intersted in knowing if there is an english version of
TurboCalc 2.0, thanks for the info.
=Rick=
Rick,
today I called Ossowski's and was told that, yes, there will be an English
version available in about 2 weeks time. Meanwhile, they'll send me the
demo disk which I will U/L here as soon as I get it.
They're still searching for reliable distribution in USA so any interested
parties might just give them a call or fax
(Phone: ++49-201-788778 Fax: ++49-201-798447)
Be seeing you,
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.061……….
Chris,
do you now if TurboCalc has logarythmic axis-scale implemented?
Juan
Juan,
tell what you mean by this and maybe I can tell you… ;^)
Is it something like having the scale reduced the further you go up the
axis, so detail in the small values doesn't get lost but large values
still fit in the graph?
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.061……….
Christian,
it means using a logarythmic scale on the axes of the graph. Many
graphs, especially the ones I work with in econometrics, use logarythmic
scaling. If you aren't familiar with them, it goes something like this:
1 2 5 10 20 50 100200 500 1000
| | | | | | | | | |
this is a logarythmic axis. Basically, you take the the logarythm of
each value to base 10 (or e, in some cases), and use that to derive the
scaling. It's very handy for data that rapidly grows in value, such as
stock market data, viral growth, GDP, etc.
I hope this helps, and yes, it's mandatory in any package that is going
to be used by many people.
"You do trust me, don't you? Of course you do."
— "To Play the King" (BBC)
Thanks, Brian, for enlightening me… ;^) I'll ask them tomorrow (the
demo disks haven't yet arrived so I gotta give them a call anyway).
BTW, SOS also have a product called "Disk Expander". This is a
commercial version of the shareware EPU product by Jaroslav Mechazek
with added XPK library support and GUI. It's DM 69,- (about US$ 40)
retail. Due to lack of backup device I haven't yet installed it (my
240Meg Quantum is nearly full which means about 300 floppies to back
it up… :^( Reviews place it quite a bit in front of the shareware
version, and the price is ok, too. They're searching distributors in
US now, as the international version is just about ready, so anyone
out there interested may send them a fax and they'll get back
a.s.a.p. with the details. Fax is: ++49-201-798447
Stefan Ossowski's Schatztruhe
Gesellschaft fuer Software mbH
Veronikastrasse 33
D-45131 Essen
Germany
Chris,
Brian has reply for me. I couldn't have it say better.
Thanks Brian, thanks Chris
Juan
Rick,
yes, there is going to be an English version, and real soon, too! I called
the folks at SOS ("Stefan Ossowski's Schatztruhe") today and they told me
it will be out in about 2 weeks time. For starters, they will send me the
new demo disks (German & English) for spreading, so I will U/L them here
as soon as I get them.
I just had a look at the old demo disk I managed to extricate from my
garbage heap (i.e. my room, ahem…) and I must say, it's reeeeally good.
Pity I don't have use for a spreadsheet just now… I don't think they
promised too much in their ads – well let's see what the wonderful new
version brings… :^)
CU
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.061……….
Chris…
Thanks for taking the time to follow-up on this. I will also be looking
forward to seeing the demo.
..Carl
I am interested in the letter you wrote about TurbCalc, I noted that the
article said "german as well as english" so I will assume there is english
versions available. Have you actually used it or seen it used? What are
your impressions of Turbocalc?
I will ask my friend in Essen to call for a copy of the literature.
Thanks
Tom
Oklahoma City, OK USA
jonest@hfsi.com
Tom,
1) yes, the English version will be available shortly (in about 2 weeks as
I was told today).
2) I have dug up my old trusty TC demo disk and had a quick (about 1 hour)
browse though it, result: It's a really neat little (uses about 400KB of
disk space including the tutorial and demo files, how's that compared to,
say, 17Megs for the likes of Excel on a PC with Windows?) program.
Conforms to OS2 style guidelines, is fast, flexible, powerful, and FUN to
use…
3) I will upload the English demo version as soon as I get it (anyone
interested in the German as well? They will send me both versions).
4) At the moment there is no US distribution. Apparently they're still
looking for distribution partners. Further news as I get them.
Ciao,
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.061……….
Thanks for the mini-review there Chris. As a long time Maxiplan user I am
always interested in hearing about other alternatives. I'll be checking
into this one for sure, you can bet. You forgot to mention the $400 price
difference in the Excel/PC stuff too. Ouch.
What town do you live in in Germany? I was in Frankfurt and Manheim for
ten years working for Singer Link and Honeywell.
Tom
Oklahoma City, OK USA
jonest@hfsi.com
I live in Friedrichsdorf which is about 25-30km north of Frankfurt where I
work for a small private bank as an SQLWindows developer.
Ciao,
// Chris coming in from Germany
\X/ on AutoPilot 1.061……….
TurboCalc sounds like it might be worthwhile. Do they have a US
version/distributor?
-Chris
Mike,
BTW, when I mentioned that I wish that someone would come out with an
Amiga spreadsheet that wasn't "Lame", I was refering for the most part
to Public Domain ones, maxiPlan isn't of this ilk, I just have a hard
time using programs that don't conform to the 2.0-3.0 style guide
even if they can handle my needs. Maybe I'm being "superficial", but
then again, I also don't like to have bad hair days <G>.
Mike,
Maxiplan version 4.09 has been the most stable Maxiplan (or Planit) so
far and I use it extensively and like it. It is easy to learn and best of
all handles huge databases with ease. I don't recall getting a GURU on
this version as yet, although I've lost a lot of hard work on previous
versions. I'm running mine on a Amigados 2.0 with a GVP accelerator and 6
meg of ram.
I'd be a customer for any upgrade.
Tony Attea
Mike…
Let me pass on my encouragement to you, hoping you take on the task of
upgrading MaxiPlan. I purchased the original version and have upgraded up to
version 3.6.
I really like it, also liked some of the features that have been removed, and
it suits my needs very well. It does crash occasionally especially when I try
to do charts, so I just don't do them. I have been looking to move over to a
MAC spreadsheet to use on my Emplant but if you improve MaxiPlan I'll would
prefer to stay with it.
..Carl
Mike…
Just a quick anecdote. About a year back, I was asked to demonstrated
multi-tasking on television. Guess which platform I chose to do it on? (Heh
heh).
I was anxious to use Maxi-Plan as one of the tasks, since it has a nice color
scheme, does neat graphing, and just plain looks good. My M/P was pretty
ancient (an old OXXI-distributed job), so I wrote and asked if I could have
something more up-to-date to show. A fresh version arrived promptly.
Commodore Canada (hearing the magic word, "television") offered to supply me
with locale and machines suitable for the taping. Good idea: their premised
looked less cluttered than mine.
Arriving at the site with TV crew in hot pursuit, I was ushered by Commodore
to an office fitted with a brand-new 4000. Do I need to tell ya? The brand
new MaxiPlan wouldn't play. One of life's difficult moments: I had to
scrounge another product and slip it in at the last moment. Sigh.
Glad to hear it will go through another improvement cycle. It looks good, I
feel comfortable with it .. but .. it did give me a bad moment there.
–Jim
Mike,
PMJI, I just stumbled on this thread and you seem to be the person in the
know re:Maxiplan. I'm *still* using Maxiplan 500 v1.8a which I got way
back in '88. I would love to upgrade to a newer version of Maxiplan. My
problem is I still use my A500 at work, and often bring stuff home to do
as well. Plus, I've got 5+ years of business info in that old Maxiplan
500 format. Are the newer versions of Maxiplan compatible with my older
version? If I get a new version, can I access old info, and will it run
under OS 1.3 (that's what's in my 500), and can the old version access the
newer files?
Thanks for any advice!
– Barry Jarrett
careening around CIS on my Amiga!
Mike:
The version of Maxiplan I think is current is 4.09. I have been able to
use all of my old files. It works fine on my 500. I haven't had any
crashes since I upgraded. The old one crashed all the time.
It is produced by the Disc Company but you can get it from many mail order
houses. Disc Company info in case you want it is:
Disc Company
P.O. Box 67713
Los Angeles, Ca 90067
USA
Ken Iversen
Ken,
Thank you *very* much for the info re:Maxiplan… I shall see if our
local Amiga source has it.
Thanks again!
– Barry Jarrett
careening around CIS on my Amiga!
What exactly do you mean by "allocates in BIG blocks and then frees them in
smaller blocks."
John, MaxiPlan allocates memory for spreadsheet cells in, I think 16K
blocks. Then then uses them as necessary and frees pieces as you
process cells. The program keeps track of all its allocations and
releases all the unused space when the program completes. This was
done, (ancient history) because the product originally used system
memory allocation and the advice given was to allocate in big
blocks. Anyway, the bottom line is, YES, it does give some external
memory monitoring tools some fits but it does work.
Mike