Rekall is a database front-end. It is not itself a database — data is stored somewhere else, in an SQL server, and Rekall is fundamentally just a tool to extract, display and update that data (of course, it does lots more than that, it does forms and reports and scripting and so on). It is database agnostic, and does not have any preferred database in the sense that Access uses the Jet database engine. TheKompany is giving away a free copy of the packaged version of Rekall (normally costs $80 USD) to a lucky winner. Read more to participate to the competition!Currently, Rekall supports the following database formats: MySQL, PostgreSQL, XBase with XBSQL (an SQL wrapper library for the XBase access library), IBM DB2, ODBC. The above list will be expanded later. TheKompany plans to add drivers for Oracle, MS SQL Server/Sybase and Interbase/Firebird. Rekall can do all the things that you would expect of a database front-end: You can design and use forms and reports, construct database queries, and import and export data in several different formats. Rekall can be scripted using the the Python language. You can arrange that a script is executed when various events occur (for instance, when the user changes the value of a control). Scripts can be associated directly with the event, but you can also store scripts in script modules for more general use. And, of course, you have full access to all the modules that are available for Python. Plus, Rekall has an integrated Python debugger, and uses its own tkcEditor to support syntax highlighting.
You can try out the demo, or check out some screenshots. Version 1.1.0 of Rekall for both the Linux and Windows platforms was announced today.
Things you need to know before entering the competition:
Good luck everyone!
Update The competition is over! Thank you everyone for participating!
Cool,
thanks for the competition. I’ve always wanted to look into Rekall — it seems like a much needed addition to the current office offerings. If I win I’ll be sure to contribute a review (hint, hint 😉
Any idea how the goBe Productive open source release is coming along, btw?
::Any idea how the goBe Productive open source release is coming along, btw?::
I heard that there were some unfortunate complications in the process of opening Productive. We will have to wait and see…
I already use Rekall (entered the contest anyway), and like it very much. It’s not exactly intuitive if you’re used to Access, but it does everything I want it to, and it was worth the money I paid for it. No regrets.
My suggestion to them (no copying, you boneheads) was that they write a Publisher/Pagemaker type app. Linux is still basically lacking something that can do page layout and simple desktop publishing.
Isn’t KWord a DTP-style app? The pre-1.2 versions were unusuable because they weren’t WYSIWYG, but it seems to be much improved now. Have you tried it? Peronsally, I use LaTeX, but then again, I don’t have complex layouting needs — the LaTeX templates are very nice for everything I do.
> Linux is still basically lacking something that can do page layout and simple desktop publishing
What about Scribus?
One copy? Why not more, like at least ten? Cheap advertisement and email address collection under the cloak of a survey.
Xirzon, you’re right, Kword is 80% of a DTP app. It’s lacking some features, but the frame-based layout is in place, and that’s the hard part. Next step is to include functionality like template left and right pages, and ease the process of importing text files, etc. I do some small DTP jobs on Kword. It’s good but could stand for some improvement.
Scribus, I haven’t heard of. I’ll go for a Google.
Wow. I didn’t even know the Unixes had an Access work-alike available. Didn’t even think to check out theKompany. This sort of thing should really help if we are ever to see Unix (well, Linux I suppose) make it in the average office place. I.e. the businesses that don’t have a selection of uber geeks to write custom software for database query applications that are so common.
Next we need some accounting software. I bet it’ll have to wait until a commercial entity decides to write some, seeing how everyone seems to whine and moan about having to write the stuff.
>What about Scribus?
Scribus can’t not compete with any of the semi or professional DTP packages for Win/Mac. And its newest version has reverted to MDI and that sucks.
>Next we need some accounting software
TheKompany offers Kapital:
http://www.thekompany.com/products/kapital/
In reference to accounting software, there’s also GNUcash, which I like quite well. It has a shortcoming or two if you’re a serious accounting-type person (which I’m not), but nothing that has kept me from being productive.
http://www.gnucash.org
Any chance for another drawing for those of us who didn’t have time to read the article and enter yesterday?
8)=
I just closed the contest! When you actually posted this, the contest was still active! :o)
One copy? Why not more, like at least ten?
Are you kidding? In a Linux environment, sales would be so scarce that it’s probably 3 months worth of turnover that they are giving away now!
Just kidding, of course. I wish The Kompany all the best for supporting my platform of choice. If I ever have the need for one of their apps, I’ll certainly patronise them.