Revelation Software made another appearance at a regional Face-to-Face (F2F) show in Seattle in late November. The F2F shows usually bring together companies such as Revelation Software with smaller, local companies allowing them to meet with and see products offered by those companies. Revelation Software was there showing the attendees some of the features of our next release, OpenInsight version 7.1.
With the show being held in Seattle, the city where Revelation was founded over 20 years ago, we had a large number of current and former users come by the stand. Most were impressed with the product and took home an evaluation version of the software. A number of current OpenInsight users came by and offered suggestion and good wishes for the next release. We also had a number of former employees come by the booth, including Breanna Anderson, one of the original architects of OpenInsight. She was quite impressed with the way that the product had evolved, and even offered some insights to planned features buried in the core of the product.
Revelation Software was also giving away at the booth evaluation copies of TimeKeeper, an OpenInsight-based timesheet and billing application written by WinWin Solutions, Revelation Software’s parent company. As we have stated in the past, we want to help those companies with OpenInsight-based applications, and this was an easy and obvious way to do so. If you or your company would like to have Revelation offer evaluation copies of your product at trade shows, contact us at 800 262 4747.
Overall the show was well attended with over 600 people coming by the booth. Many evaluation copies of OpenInsight were given away, and many former users may become current users again. For us, the show was a success.
On February 15 through 17 of this year, Revelation Software was an exhibitor at the LinuxWorld conference and exposition at Boston’s Hynes Convention Center. With thousands of attendees, the event was quite a hit.
Revelation Software was there showcasing OIL, OpenInsight for Linux version 7.1. OIL is a fully functional, Rapid Application Development tool with its own graphical development environment and integrated database. There are no comparable products to it in the Linux world!
Bob Carten and Bob Catalano demonstrating some of the finer points of OpenInsight
Over 130 attendees stopped by the Revelation booth where demonstrations of making tables, data entry forms, and reports were given. OIL generates all of its printed output in PostScript, the de-facto standard for output in Linux, allowing both users and developers tremendous flexibility in their output needs.
OpenInsight for Linux runs on Fedora Core, Red Hat, Debian, Mandrake, SuSE, and Xandros distributions of Linux. While at the show demonstrations were being given on a Dell laptop running Xandros Deluxe 3.0, and it ran very well. In fact, members of the Xandros development team attending the show stopped by to see OIL running on their product.
Bob Carten and Kevin Ruane informing attendees about OpenInsight for Linux
All in all it was a great show. A number of former Windows developers, looking for solutions and development tools similar to what they were used to in the Microsoft world were very excited about Revelation’s product offerings. Many evaluation copies of OpenInsight were distributed to Linux application developers. We also had a number of former and current Revelation developers stop by the booth, including Ira Krakow, Dave Harmacek, John Bouley, as well as our friends from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind.
For the Digital Camera drawing held for the Revelation Software booth, the winner was Normand Leblanc of Windwood Consulting Services, Newton Mass. May he enjoy using it.
Revelation Software will be exhibiting at the LinuxWorld show in San Francisco in August of this year, as well as the Boston conference in 2006. We hope to see you there!
San Diego was the site of 2005’s International Spectrum User Conference this year, and from February 22 through 25 Revelation Software participated both as Exhibitors and Speakers.
Over three hundred MultiValue professionals, developers, and users gathered to hear the various presentations and exhibitions showcasing the offerings of the MultiValue world. Revelation Software personnel gave four different presentations during the course of the show. First, Bob Carten gave a presentation entitled ‘OpenInsight for Linux: Get the OIL rush’ where he offered the attendees some real-world experience with working with Linux on the desktop, and showed them some of the functionality of OIL 7.1.
Next up was Mike Ruane, giving a ‘Revelation Corporate Update’. In this talk Mike covered the history of Revelation Software and outlined the planned enhancements and changes plus a roadmap for the product line over the next two years. Bob Catalano gave the next presentation - ‘A MultiValue Developers Guide to OpenInsight’ where he described his background in various MultiValue products, and then walked the attendees through the basics of creating OpenInsight applications; creating an application, a table, a data entry form, and reporting. A number of users were following along on their own laptops, making it almost a hands-on session.
Finally, wrapping it up for Revelation was Bob Carten again, giving a talk entitled ‘OpenInsight System Management’. In this presentation Bob outlined that various steps and procedures to follow when administering an OpenInsight application.
In the exhibition hall, Revelation continued to shine as the brightest star in the MultiValue galaxy. Dozens of demonstrations were given to both developers and third-party tool makers. Two major MultiValue tool makers have already ported their applications to OpenInsight and were advertising the fact; DesignBais with their web –based system development tool, and Via Systems, with their WebWizard tool. Other third party tool makers met with the Revelation staff during the course of the conference and are planning to provide OpenInsight versions of their software; a number of them very well known. Watch our website for future announcements.
Revelation was happy to have representatives from SRP Computer Solutions manning the booth with us. Their expertise and enthusiasm for the products was infectious, and the attendees could feel it as well. From SRP were President Don Bakke, Bob Fernandes, and Paul Simonson.
Mike Ruane listens to a user’s needs while giving a demo
Bob Catalano and Bob Carten give demos to interested users
During the exhibition a number of users of other MultiValue database products professed a desire to switch to OpenInsight, and plans are already in motion to assist them. We also had a number of new developers sign up for the Works Program, Revelation Software’s developer subscription program that provides the developer with product, upgrades, bug fixes, and technical support. Finally, one company who shall remain nameless at this point plans on providing a Linux appliance with OpenInsight as the embedded database.
As a special treat, Revelation sponsored an Ice Cream party during the show. Most attendees proved they had a sweet tooth by lining up for and making their own custom sundaes.
Looks Delicious!
More Hot Fudge!
Revelation also gave away a six megapixel digital camera. The winner was Drew Conboy, as seen in the following picture.
Another LinuxWorld show has come and gone, and Revelation Software was there again showing the power and flexibility of OpenInsight for Linux. From August 9th through 11th, 2005, thousands of attendees were at the LinuxWorld conference held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.
Revelation Software attends and exhibits at shows like these for a few reasons: first, to attract new developers and show them what a powerful and flexible development tool OpenInsight is; and second, to show our existing clients with OpenInsight-based applications that they in fact can have Linux versions of their applications. And since the Linux marketplace is growing, and the number of Linux-based applications is growing, there is no better time than the present to port their systems to Linux.
The show began on Tuesday morning with a flurry of activity as the vendors all prepared their speeches and demonstrations. Mike Ruane, President of Revelation Software, and Bob Carten, Senior Developer, were manning the booth for Revelation. We had a special guest, Greg Helland of Bleu Pelikan (www.bleupelikan.com), one of our premier West Coast resellers. All were busy giving demonstrations to interested attendees.
Bob Carten and Greg Helland chat up the crowds.
Bob Carten demonstrates OIL to John May from DDE (center), a current Revelation user, and a former user on the right.
Next to our booth was one sponsored by the DCC (Debian Common Core) Alliance, a diverse group of Linux vendors and nonprofits with strong Debian ties that have partnered to assemble a common, standards-based core for Debian-based distributions. We had numerous discussions with the various members of the alliance, such as Linspire and Xandros, about making available versions of OpenInsight for Linux (OIL) to their customers. Watch our website for more information in the upcoming weeks and months.
Mike Ruane discusses ideas with Ian Murdock (the Ian in DEBIAN) at Linux World
Revelation’s President Mike Ruane was also interviewed on SYS-Con TV regarding his views of the Linux World show, the Linux community, and OpenInsight for Linux. Check out their website at www.sys-con.tv for the interview. Also, keep a close look at Linux World Magazine (http://linux.sys-con.com) for more information about OpenInsight for Linux.
It was a very successful show from Revelation’s point of view. We had numerous user and former users of Revelation products show up, including one who stated “Revelation? I can’t believe you guys are still around. I made so much money with you!” As more and more businesses decide that Linux is no longer just for the stereotypical long haired, pony-tailed geek in a garage, they are now looking for solutions to their business needs. And since OpenInsight for Linux (OIL) lets a developer backup up their windows-based systems and restore them on Linux, all developers of windows-based OpenInsight solutions now have Linux-based solutions. It’s time to get them out into the Linux world, so let’s go guys!
Seattle Spectrum and SAPUG Wrap-up
On October 19th and 20th 2005 Revelation Software attended the regional International Spectrum Show in Seattle, and closed out the trip by presenting to the Seattle Area Pick Users Group, known as SAPUG.
As the Spectrum show began, Mike Ruane, President of Revelation Software, was a panel member in a session entitled ‘Microsoft’s .NET – Is it a Good Fit for Your MultiValue Enterprise?‘“ During the session a panel of MultiValue professionals discussed the pros and cons of using .Net in their MultiValue applications. The session was well attended, and a number of intriguing questions were asked.
The .Net Panel
At a later session that same day Mike also gave a presentation entitled ‘Revelation Software - Corporate Update’. In this session Mike outlined Revelation’s accomplishments over the past few years, and the plans for the future.
Wednesday evening found Bob Catalano and Mike Ruane working the Vendor Fair. During the Vendor Fair, Bob showed numerous interested parties Revelation’s latest product, the Character to OpenInsight tool, or CTO. The CTO allows users of other MultiValue applications who are still running in green screen mode to migrate to OpenInsight with a minimum amount of work. Use of the CTO decreases their costs tremendously because Revelation’s licensing fees are the lowest in the MultiValue world. All those who saw the demonstrations were very impressed.
Getting email before the Vendor Fair
Thursday morning started with Mike Ruane partnering with Mike McGuane of Mikron Industries in giving a talk on RFID - Radio Frequency Identification – the what, why and how of the technology. Although RFID technology is in its infancy of being implemented, the possibilities for MultiValue developers in creating and managing the middleware for these applications is great and should be exploited. Interested developers should begin to get more information on RFID technology.
Bob Catalano then gave a talk entitled ‘Converting, Migrating, or Front-Ending Applications and Data for use with OpenInsight’ which again showcased the CTO from OpenInsight. MultiValue developers in attendance were very impressed.
Bob Catalano readies for his presentation
Finally, that evening Mike Ruane was the featured speaker at the SAPUG October meeting. After a cocktail hour and dinner, Mike Ruane gave a brief review of the history of Revelation Software and the MultiValue world, and then gave a live demonstration of the CTO tool. In real time a MultiValue application was restored into OpenInsight from a R83 compliant virtual account save, where it created a new application, converted the dictionary items, and compiled the programs for use in OpenInsight. He then demonstrated running the green screen application in the CTO, how locking worked between the green screen application and OpenInsight, and how GUI applications could be developed against the same data. Mike also stressed the cost savings (no annual runtime license fees and no middleware) that the MultiValue developers would realize when they moved to OpenInsight. The attendees were tremendously excited, and quickly saw the potential in the CTO.
Mike Ruane’s CTO Presentation
As always, it was a very successful trip. We enjoy going to Seattle, the city where Revelation was founded as Cosmos back in 1982, and we always find more people who use Revelation products, used them in the past, or worked for the company. We look forward to coming back again.
If you would like to be one of the first to know when you can evaluate a free two-user version of OpenInsight with the CTO tool, then be sure you are signed up for the Revelation Mailing list. Email
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