In mid-1991 the Reflex Plus Orphans Association (RPOA) announced a campaign to seek a committed new Macintosh developer for the Borland database program.
RPOA is a volunteer user-level group, providing support and assistance to users of Reflex Plus, the popular relational database management system for the Macintosh.
According to RPOA's founder, Nate Silverman, the group's primary aims are to provide free technical support to an estimated 100,000 Reflex users, and to find a new home for this excellent software. RPOA has provided user support on America Online and CompuServe since 1990. On AOL, from anywhere type Command-k, then "MBS". Click "Message Board" button, then double-click "Browse Boards". Then select again "Lets Discuss-Mac Business" and double-click "Browse Boards". Select "Database Management Issues" and double-click "Browse Board" again. At this point AOL should eventually scroll down the folder, "REFLEX PLUS". You can open this either with "Browse" to get a list, or "Find New" or maybe "Find Since..." if you only want the latest month's messages. When you're up to date, you can replace the last "Browse Board" with "Find New".
Because many Reflex Plus users feel abandoned by the current publisher, RPOA has been asking that Borland follow Ashton-Tate's lead and find a new developer for Reflex Plus. "Buying a relational database is buying the publisher's commitment and reputation," says RPOA's Philip Tobias. Many RPOA members are small-business people who have invested thousands of hours in Reflex, and thus have depended on Borland.
Reflex Plus came from Apple origins to be Singular Software's Interlace. Borland acquired it in 1986, and renamed it Reflex, a moniker shared by their dissimilar PC product. With much hoop-la, Borland released the 1987 upgrade as Reflex Plus. No improvements have been released since late '87.
Flexible and easy to use, Reflex Plus seemed to have a bright future. But in 1988 Borland withdrew from the Mac market. This orphaned thousands of happy Reflex users. RPOA wants Borland to support customers by continuing development of Reflex Plus or finding another publisher to do so, following the recent precedent of Ashton-Tate, who returned their dBASE Mac product to another committed developer. RPOA's Philip Tobias says, "We find Ashton-Tate's example extremely enlightened, especially in view of the dependence between business database user and publisher."
With refinement, RPOA's Cyrus D'Amato believes Reflex could still be a major player in the market. RPOA believes that, in addition to attracting many new users, the upgrade market could be significant for a persistent publisher.
RPOA's Fred Rushden notes many Reflex Plus owners using the program also own small businesses and would be willing to upgrade to an enhanced version compatible with System 7. Further, many also indicate they will stay with Reflex Plus as long as possible rather than spend the many hours to convert. Some former users would return to Reflex if development were assured. RPOA members agree that Reflex Plus is by far the most suitable product for a non-developer.
"It would seem appropriate for Borland's public image to begin a best-efforts campaign to make the source code and other development products available [to a developer]. We're willing to assist them," says Rushden.
RPOA invites Reflex users to take advantage of the on-line support offered on America Online and CompuServe. Interested developers or software publishers are urged to contact the Reflex Plus Orphans Association.
Press Contact: Fred Rushden, FredAR on America Online or 72230,143 on CompuServe or at 3142 Beaver Brook Lane, Baldwinsville NY 13027, 315/635-7550.
