By Rogerio Mauri - 6/12/2007
This is a question strange, but necessary. The StrataFrame tool has guaranteed future? We had a bad experience with the closing of the AppForge company (for PALM) and are still in doubt on the acquisition of the StrataFrame tool.I am from Brazil. (Alta Vista Translation)
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By Rogerio Mauri - 6/12/2007
Updates of versions, with new functionalities, do not conflict with functionalities of previous versions?
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By Ivan George Borges - 6/12/2007
Hi Rogério.I am very confident of a long life for SF. I know the company well, and they are an extremely commited team, so you will be safe here. As for backwards compatibility, there has never been a problem in that concern, and they know well to support their users. We are in São Paulo, so, if you think we could help in any way, just let me know. Abraços.
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By Ivan George Borges - 6/12/2007
sorry for the portugues guys, just a translation of what I wrote above Olá Rogério. Eu tenho extrema confiança na longa vida do SF. Eu conheço a empresa muito bem, e eles são um time extremamente empenhado, logo você estará seguro aqui. Quanto à compatibilidade com versões anteriores, nunca houve um problema neste sentido, e eles são conscientes quanto ao suporte aos seus usuários. Nós estamos em São Paulo, então, se você precisar de qualquer ajuda, é só me dizer. Abraços.
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By Trent L. Taylor - 6/12/2007
As Ivan mentioned, we try to be very conscious of making enhancements that will maintain backward compatability. We actually use StrataFrame to develop our medical software, so if we did not create a glide path foward, we would putting not only our users in harms way, but oursleves as well. 
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By Howard Bennett - 6/12/2007
One thing I've wondered about (please understand I'm not doubting your comittment here - just wondering what would happen.) I think the framework and ES check in with your servers somehow to verify licensing and such - what happens if you guys shut down? Are we able to continue using the framework and other features you offer - or - would we be considered unlicensed and unable to do what we need?
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By Rogerio Mauri - 6/12/2007
Ivan... Already I made contact with the company in São Paulo and they had taken care of to me very well. You it could clarify me as it functions, or if it exists, critical of licensing in the application final for our users constructed with the SF.
Ivan... Já fiz contato com a empresa em São Paulo e me atenderam muito bem. Você poderia me esclarecer como funciona, ou se existe, crítica de licenciamento na aplicação final para nossos usuários construída com o SF.
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By Keith Chisarik - 6/12/2007
Does Ivan get paid to be the Portugese support guy? 
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By Ivan George Borges - 6/12/2007
Hi Keith.I'm already studying 8 other languages!!!
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By Ivan George Borges - 6/12/2007
Oi Rogério.Não há nehuma taxa de licensiamento para seu usuário final. Suas aplicações poderam ser distribuídas sem necessidade alguma de custos de licensa por parte do StrataFrame. Apenas os seus custos, claro... For you guys lurking, I said: No. 
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By Rogerio Mauri - 6/12/2007
Ivan... Obrigado pela sua especial atenção.Você poderia então detalhar como funciona o plano de licenciamento e suporte do SF? Observei que na compra existe uma opção de licenciamento anual. Entendi corretamente?
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By Ivan George Borges - 6/12/2007
É assim, você viu os produtos à venda, o Application Framework (o StrataFrame propiramente dito), o Database Deployment Toolkit e o Role Based Security. O custo é de licensa para 1 ano, o que inclui todas as upgrades durante este período, e mais suporte gratuito através do forum. Isto não quer dizer que daqui 1 ano você não tenha mais direito ao uso do framework, só quer dizer que param as upgrades. Então, pode ser que valha a pena manter o pagamento anual, a não ser que você não precise das upgrades, mas isto fica para você decidir.---------------- Sorry for this in portuguese, guys. It's only about the licensing policy for the framework. But since we brazilians plan to take over the world, you might as well start learning a bit. 
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By Rogerio Mauri - 6/12/2007
Ok Ivan. Entendi agora como funciona o plano de licenciamento. Isso demonstra que a MicroFour terá interesse em evoluir a ferramenta.
Ok Ivan. I understood now as the licensing plan functions. This demonstrates that the MicroFour will have interest in evolving the tool.
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By StrataFrame Team - 6/13/2007
In answer to Howard's question, if something were to happen (certainly not saying it will, just trying to put your mind at ease), we would release the source code for all of the design-time components and the ES. That way you could just cut out the licensing and keep using it. But don't plan on that happening any time soon 
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By Steve L. Taylor - 6/13/2007
Rogerio,Ivan's portuguese seems to be in order but if it is ok, for the forum at large, I will respond in english. The future: MicroFour has spent a substantial amount of money and time developing SF out of a great need for a framework for our medical product. We like you, purchased several frameworks that either evaporated or were not designed for a robust application. We continue to enhance SF and make normal bug fixes. As our medical applications grows we actually incorporate new features to accommodate our needs. Additionally, .NET will release major changes, in regards to data handling in the coming months through 2008. As those changes are available we will enhance the framework. It is paramount to MicroFour that all changes are backward compatible or permitted to coexist with existing software. I would not be interested in making changes to SF that would obsolete all the the code we have generated on the medical side of things. Generally speaking, MicroFour's products have a long life and we have never left anyone on an island. What we are building is a community of developers and like a family not everyone gets what they want all of the time, unless you are my five year of son, of course. Our goal is to serve the community and produce better products than the "bad guys." It is not a perfect world but we care and at least we are accessible but some means. Our business model is all about understanding the problem. For example, in order to totally understand the medical business we own a clinic that serves 40-60 patients a day. We don't have to ask someone to explain what we need in the medical software. On the other hand we enjoy the same privilege on the framework, we use it to program daily and see its strengths and try to resolve its weaknesses. Steve, CEO
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By Rogerio Mauri - 6/13/2007
Therefore, if I understood correctly, the MicroFour already is looking at for version 2008 of .NET. OK? This is excellent!
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