One of the most significant characteristics of emerging computer markets that have had little exposure to the developed computer world is that in the early years of expansion, all foreign manufacturers are regarded as equal, and an Alpha Microsystems can become the market leader in competition with a DEC or an NCR. London-based DataFlex Ltd’s fourth-generation language database is going down a storm in Eastern Europe. Some 140 delegates attended the first Czechoslovakian DataFlex users group meeting held in Prague last month – the group invited DataFlex managing director Mike Kusmirak over to show how DataFlex can be moved to Unix from MS-DOS, and on to Intel 80386-based networks. Czech customers of DataFlex include government departments and Czech Airlines, along with car manufacturer Skoda, which Kusmirak believes has just opened one of the most fully automated production facilities in Europe.
