dBASE, Database Mangement System
While on first day I was getting exposed to DOS, I was looking for something that could allow me to program the same way I used to do with BBC BASIC, and I was pointed towards dBase III+. I browsed through the functions available with the package and found that it had functions similar to those which I was familiar to. Later I was also told about GWBASIC & QBASIC, but I had made my choice.
One of our favorite programs that we had made on BBC BASIC was one that took a date for input and returned the Character Day of Week. With CDOW function of dBase, that did the same thing, it was a waste coding it in dBase. So I planned to do it other way, displaying a calendar given month and year.
And on third day of my re-union with computer I was ready with a program that allowed showing calendar with visual frills added with boxes allowed by “@-TO” command. I was feeling at home again…
And it was now that I started learning what dBase was there for… the Database Management.. dBase was supposed to be taken in my second semester while the first semester required me to learn COBOL. Learning the two concurrently I could realize the advantages that dBase had over other languages.
- The DBF file itself describes the data structure and does not require programmer to define them in the program.
- A rich set of commands allowing accessing records in sequential / random manner.
- Single line commands to update / delete a large number of records.
While dBase had enormous potential, it kept loosing its ground partly due to Competitors who provided dBase clones with more features, one such competitor being the Microsoft itself. And it’s inability to timely move to Windows environment hurted it more. PKZip is another similar example which ruled the DOS world but lost to WinZip in Windows environment.
After being acquired by Borland, Windows versions for dBase were released but could not regain its position. dBASE still exists as “dBASE PLUS” sold by dataBased Intelligence, Inc.
