16 May 1996 updated
When PowerBuilder is purchased for a developer, that developer will use it at least fifty percent of the time. It’s the main development tool for developing a system. PowerBuilder generates systems and is priced similar to other generators.
PowerDesigner is an important part of the analysis phase and creates a foundation upon which the system is built. It starts out as a drawing tool with rules and turns into a tool which does a good job of generating database definitions. While it’s pricing may make sense for a DBA who’s main function is to maintain databases, most people will only use it for its drawing capabilities. On average, it is used less than 10 percent of the time yet it is priced the same as PowerBuilder. The benefits of PowerDesigner are important to these people but not worth the current expense of the product. Certainly not when compared to the ‘use to price’ ratio of PowerBuilder.
Star Designor attempted to address this but targeted the wrong group. What actually might be feasible is a product that allows development of a CDM which can be passed off to a DBA group for development of the PDM. We value PowerDesigner most for it’s ability to assist in understanding data structures. It’s ability to maintain databases is secondary to that. Pricing in accordance to usage. When PowerBuilder is purchased for a developer, that developer will use it at least fifty percent of the time. It’s the main development tool for developing a system. PowerBuilder generates systems and is priced similar to other generators.
PowerDesigner is an important part of the analysis phase and creates a foundation upon which the system is built. It starts out as a drawing tool with rules and turns into a tool which does a good job of generating database definitions. While it’s pricing may make sense for a DBA who’s main function is to maintain databases, most people will only use it for its drawing capabilities. On average, it is used less than 10 percent of the time yet it is priced the same as PowerBuilder. The benefits of PowerDesigner are important to these people but not worth the current expense of the product. Certainly not when compared to the ‘use to price’ ratio of PowerBuilder.
Star Designor attempted to address this but targeted the wrong group. What actually might be feasible is a product that allows development of a CDM which can be passed off to a DBA group for development of the PDM. We value PowerDesigner most for it’s ability to assist in understanding data structures. It’s ability to maintain databases is secondary to that.
Modeling is first and foremost a communication tool. There needs to be a way to share the results of the modeling effort with those who reference the modeled information but don’t do the actual creation. This goes as far as communicating table descriptions to members of the business community who query the database. It is impractical for me to purchase PowerDesigner for people who need to reference data models. Printed reports are difficult to maintain and worse to use. They never have just the right information. I need a method of allowing read only access to PowerDesigner data models to an institution of 20,000 people.