Scott’s Valley, California-based Borland International Inc has launched version 5.0 of its relational database, Paradox for Windows. The big selling point of the new version is Paradox’s Object Linking & Embedding 2.0 compatibility, that enables users to embed Paradox tables and data into other products such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, with complete, in-place editing features, and vice versa. Paradox also boasts an intuitive user interface, Coaches & Experts, which guides the unwary traveller around the horrors of databases. Experts guide the user through the creation of mailing labels, reports and forms, without the user needing any database knowledge. Coaches offer training for the new user to learn the basics of a database and how to create common objects such as tables, forms, reports and queries. Version 5.0 has seven new field types and Workgroup Desktop that shares information between workgroup members without the need for a separate product. Information can be shared locally and remotely, through local area networks and mail transports like MCI Mail, NetWare MHS and NGM, Windows for Workgroups, and cc:Mail and Notes. Version 5.0 adds Open Database Connectivity to enable the retrieval of remote information from 50 databases including DB2, AS/400, Ingres and Btrieve. It has a stand-alone debugger, which runs in its own window with SpeedBar and menu bar. Paradox 5.0 for Windows is available now at UKP350. An upgrade package costs UKP130 for existing users of Paradox and dBase. Paradox 5.0 Runtime and the Developers Tools will ship this autumn. Paradox 5.0 will be included in Novell’s PerfectOffice Professional 3.0 and this probably means more people will await the launch of PerfectOffice than upgrade to the Paradox for Windows Version 5.0. Furthermore, the 1m licences of Paradox that Novell Inc secured in its acquisition of Quattro Pro are of the version at the time that it needs them. Therefore, if the 1m is not used up in the time of Version 5.0, Novell will have copies of the next version. The Paradox package has a voucher for Borland SQL Links 2.0 for Windows to connect to SQL database servers, including Oracle, Sybase-Microsoft SQL Server, Borland Interbase and Informix. This costs UKP20 for postage and handling. Borland is committed to making a Paradox for Chicago, within 90 to 120 days after the launch. In a separate announcement, Borland has started shipping dBase for Windows; so great have been advanced orders that the product will be put on allocation until the end of the month. It costs $500; existing users can upgrade for $200.
