Redmond, Washington-based relational database developer Microrim Inc, which is now established in its UK headquarters in Slough, Berkshire, has revealed plans for system upgrades to its R:Base product, a new compiler, and some intentions for the future. The company is getting into the festive spirit by tempting its 5,000 existing UK customers to a seasonable upgrade of its relational database management systems at discount prices. Users who already have R:Base applications can convert to R:Base DOS or R:Base OS/2. R:Base DOS comes in three or six user versions, for UKP95 and UKP195 respectively, an upgrade to R:Base for OS/2 also costing UKP195. Each is available in eight different languages and all the conversions represent a saving of of around 80% on normal retail costs. Microrim has also launched a database management system compiler for micros: called R:Base Compiler, it creates executable files from applications, allowing programs to run without the need for an interpreter or runtime module – price UKP695, from January. As for the future, a RDBMS known as Atlas 2 is to be announced in six months time, aimed at the multi-user environment. Also in this market Microrim is undertaking a campaign to win business from rival Ashton-Tate Corp, with president David Hull claiming that Oracle, Informix and dBase are totally inadequate for the multi-user environment.
