Xojo: An Old New Kid on The Block

Until 4th June this year the company had the name Real Software Inc and their product, a cross-platform developing kit, had the name Real Studio. However, the company name is now Xojo Inc and the product’s name is Xojo.

Bob Keeney, founder of BKeeney Software, has written a great review about Xojo 2013r1. I refer to that articles then write one myself.

Here I will bring up two important subjects, Xojo in Windows and Missing Controls – Expensive to buy.

Xojo in Windows

When I started to hang around and lurk around I got the impression that the major group of developer are on the Apple platform. Since then it has been confirmed in many ways and with the transformation of Real Studio UI to Xojo UI it’s quite clear that Xojo Inc favor the Apple platform. Have a look on the below screen shot, is it Windows or?

Missing Controls – Expensive to buy

If I buy a development tool like Xojo I expect to have included a bunch of basic controls. Xojo Inc do not follow the main stream of development tools. They have excluded two important controls, a Data Grid and a Chart control.

In fact, they have placed themselves as hostage to 3rd party controls by some vendors. For developers it gets more expensive and by using the 3rd party controls the developers are also in the hand of the 3rd party vendors.

OK, we start first with buying a license of Xojo Desktop for US$ 300 (excluding VAT).

Suppose we need a descent Data Grid control we then must buy a collection of plug-ins. The collection has a price of US$ 199 (excluding VAT) with a subscription of one year.

Next, we realize we need a chart control. It exist a free chart control but it has not been updated for the last years. Beside that, it lack a lot of feature. Our real option is to buy a commercial Chart control. It cost US$ 26o (excluding VAT).

Let us summarize it:

• We pay US$ 300 for one Xojo Desktop License
• We pay US$ 560 for two basic controls!
• All in all, we pay US$ 860 (excluding VAT)

We actually pay more for two basic controls then what one license of Xojo Desktop cost! That sucks.

Badwill can be created in many ways. Badwill created this way can easily be avoided; provide a Data Grid control and a Chart control as part of Xojo packages.

Is it only me who find it unacceptable?

Xojo is an interesting development too and I find the job done by Xojo Inc to be good. However, given the present feedback Xojo need one or two releases before all the teething are gone.

Finally, the subject for this article is related to the fact that Xojo is based on Real Studio so in one way it’s new in another way it’s old.

Kind regards,
Dennis

Support for Small Business by Microsoft

I’m happy to inform that Microsoft is developing and expand their services and support to small and medium-sized businesses (SMB). From my point of view this is most welcoming as this group of companies have been sidestepped for some time now by Microsoft, in favour to the group of enterprises.

I know that professional MS Excel consultants work on a daily basis with the SMB group. When Microsoft now start to build up a strong support for this group I’m convinced that the companies can increase their ROI when using Microsoft’s products. It will also help the Excel consultants group in that they now can point their clients to Microsoft’s support portal.

I’m also convinced that the group of Excel consultants can get some help from the portal themselves.

All in all, everyone can benefit from Microsoft’s venture on SMB 🙂

At present Microsoft is building up the portal so in the coming weeks we can find more and more information. Please add a bookmark for the new portal and make sure You check it out on a regular basis:

Support for Small Business

Enjoy it!

Kind regards,
Dennis