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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hollywood" data-source="post: 457389" data-attributes="member: 7408">I don't disagree with you here.  I'm in the opinion that they did not deliver said product.With the proliferation of computers and the access to webpage scripting, Java and its free compilers, and other such free or very cheap compilers for different languages, its fairly easy for anyone to become a "coder" or "programmer".  But there is a huge difference, not to diminish anyone, between knowing how to use an IF or FOR statement or create a CLASS in Java or even how to write a SQL statement to access data in any relational database and how to properly, through disciplined engineering, create a viable piece of software. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Um, I can think of a lot of products on the market that require learning to use very well.  Word, Access, Excel, Lotus Notes, HR programs such as PeopleSoft, etc.  However, I believe what your point is, that unlike eTools [or some similiar 3rd party software] is that for the most part you can pick up the above mentioned software packages and at the very least write a letter or put enter some data in a spreadsheet without reading through a massive manual.  To become proficient with the tool [and thankfully I've never had any reason to become proficient with Word or Excel outside of whitepapers. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />] you will need to learn more a bout the tool.Learning how to use Access takes far less time than learning a foreign language, as Access like other similiar products, provides an interface that helps protect the "newbie" from the actual language.  Databases like say MySQL don't.The point I was trying to make, was not necessarily is disagreement with yours.  You were stating that you wished eTools was more like CoreRules which allowed you, through a somewhat well designed [my interpretation. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f609.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=";)" title="Wink    ;)"  data-smilie="2"data-shortname=";)" />] interface, to easily add new custom data to the program.  eTools does not really come close, unless you know how to utilize Access [or other databases].   What I am saying is that, no matter how poorly designed/developed eTools is, that utilizing a database that has a high usage in the computer industry as the back-end datastore does allow some enterprising folks, as it has, to create tools or ways to put custom data where eTools fails to allow you to do so.  The failure, for what I preceive you were saying, is with eTools interface/program, and not the back-end, i.e. Access. Yes, again thats the failure of eTools, not of the choice [for good or ill mind you] of Access as a data repository.Personally I detest "auto-install".  But eh, in reality thats simply a small .ini file on the cd they didn't put together.  Nonetheless, yes I agree.   I'm not defending eTools at all.  Yup, and thats why there are so many people with computers, since most PCs run Windows of some sort, are hacked because they don't keep up with the virus updates and Windows updates.  Nonetheless, most people who play computer games, even on a somewhat regular basis, are going to be likely to realize the need to check for updates.But again, this is totally the failing of the eTools software and its implementation, not necessarily the technology [of which both Access and XML are] used to build it.Yup... I remember surfing the internet, Gopher, Talk, et al. way back on a 2400 baud modem running on my MicroChannel IBM 286.  Or in dorm room's with 8086s and green and amber screens. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> Of course.  Not writing your own file system or relational database but rather using proven components will allow you to concentrate on more important aspects of developing said software.  No reason to invent the wheel again.Well with XML, a "technophile user" can create new output formats.  He can always post those where other people can get to them.  There are other uses such as exporting and importing into other programs, etc.  As long as the solution allows the average user to use the software without problems and like with eTools save and print out a character, then utilizing a technology that allows other more advanced users to expand upon the basics is a good thing.  Have to say though eTools seems to have been a bust at this.Depends on the software of course.  But in this day and age, you should keep your software up-to-date [even on a 56k modem].  It'll save you a lot of trouble going foward.I don't disagree. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  Actually, it wasn't really designed with software development in mind, no matter what WotC may claim. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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