Date   : Wed, 04 May 1983 10:32:45 PST (Wed)
From   : Jerry Sweet <jsweet.uci@rand-relay.arpa>
Subject: Re: Query on Condor DBMS

As a favor, I tried to help a doctor learn how to use his Condor software
(and a few other things) over a period of about 8 hours, two months ago.
Since I've never used dBase II, I have no real basis for comparison, but I
found the Condor package to be quite difficult to use. The manual varies in
quality from section to section, with some parts being excellent (easy to
understand, even for a non-cs person, containing examples and good English
explanations of use), and others extremely shoddy (missing important
information, out of date, or outright incorrect).

The data entry form generation command is not too bad, although it is
difficult for persons accustomed to full-featured screen editors to get used
to.  The instructions on cursor movement did not correspond to actual
functioning (possibly the fault of the Alspa keyboard, which is what we were
using); commands that should have been "universal" were available only in
one mode or another.

Certain functions are poorly explained, such as use of the RESULTS file
(which I hadn't figured out how to use by the end of the day), how to modify
existing data to add or delete fields (the REORGanize command, an
exercise in extreme frustration).

Condor commands are run from a sort of CP/M shell which must be invoked with
the current date and software license number.  The Condor shell allows most
of the normal CP/M commands (when preceded by a $"), but looks for .DBM
files rather than .COM files when commands are typed.  You can write
"scripts," containing conditional expressions and other flow control
constructs, to be submitted to the Condor shell (I did not get around to
trying this).

Well, hope this is somewhat informative.  I'd like to hear a about
about comparisons Condor or dBase II if anyone out there knows about them.

       --Jerry Sweet