Shortcuts Through Software Maze

Reinventing the wheel is no sin, but it can be a big waste of time.

Thousands of people no doubt spend countless hours trying to design business software applications that already exist.

This is particularly true of database software, and most of all true for applications written for Ashton-Tate’s dBASE II, III and III Plus programs. Undoubtedly, more custom applications have been written using the dBASE programs than any other software.

Now, with the Ashton-Tate Developer Registry, business people can find the right consultants and programs for their needs. Thus, the registry can spare people the time and expense of customizing their own software.

The $24.95 volume, available from Ashton-Tate or at book stores, is as hefty as the Los Angeles telephone directory. Inside you’ll find listings of consultants who work with Ashton-Tate programs, including Framework, Rapid File, MultiMate and the Master graphics series, Chart-Master, Map-Master, Sign-Master and Diagram-Master, in addition to the dBASE line.

One of the listings gives the number of staffers employed by the consultant, the year the business started, the approximate number of installations the consultant has done and a description of services offered.

A separate listing describes software products. It includes programs as diverse as a Mortality Information Recording System that tracks death certificates, Contractor III for construction management, a janitorial service scheduling and billing program and political campaign software written by Below, Tobe & Associates, a California consulting firm with a reputation for helping candidates zing their opponents with carefully targeted direct mail.

There also is Turbo Rent for managing rental properties, something called Alacrity that bills itself as “an MBA in a box,� an auto repair shop management program and a restaurant accounting system.

Indexes make the listings easy to find. Listings are indexed by function, industry, city and state, telephone area code, product name and the Ashton-Tate program with which the product or the consultant works.

The industry index is broken down by government-designated categories so you’ll find restaurants listed under “personal services� and auto-repair-center software under “business services, transportation.�

A half-hour’s browse ought to be enough for anyone to find a helpful list of programs or consultants. Contact Ashton-Tate at 20100 Hamilton Ave., Torrance, Calif. 90502-1319 or at (213) 329-8000 for more information.

As long as we’re talking about books, there’s another fat volume newly published that is crammed with useful and trivial information about the computer industry.

It is the Computer Industry Almanac ($29.95) by Egil Juliussen, Portia Isaacson and Luanne Kruse, published by a firm also known as Computer Industry Almanac, at 8111 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Tex. 75251-1313; (214) 231-8735.

The almanac begins with a concise, 23-page computer industry overview that will have you understanding the differences between mainframes, minis, workstations and personal computers in no time.

Want to start a computer store? There’s a list showing computer store franchises, when they began, how many there are, how much capital is needed and how much a franchise costs.

There also are rankings showing where computer companies place in industry lists such as the Fortune 500, the Forbes 500, Forbes’ 200 best small companies, the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies, Venture’s 100 fast-track companies, and so on.

Looking for proof that Apple Computer really is a better company than IBM? You’ll find a ranking by return on equity that puts Apple at the top and International Business Machine Corp. in seventh place.

For those who have ever wondered how personal computer software sales stack up against mainframe software, it turns out that Lotus Development is in top place by a comfortable margin and Cullinet Software, a mainframe database publisher, is No. 2. (IBM isn’t ranked because it’s not an independent software company.)

There are lengthy directories, too, of people who have made important contributions to computing.

The section labeled Financial Facts also has a wealth of data. For instance, there is a list of mergers and acquisitions that occurred in 1986. In addition, you’ll find the initial stock prices for computer-related companies that made their initial public stock offerings last year.

What’s more, the almanac shows which companies did best and worst in the stock market in 1986. Zentec, a computer peripherals firm, had the biggest gain, a 181.8% increase. Computone, a distribution company whose stock was off 94.9%, was the biggest loser.

Maybe all of this will be enough to persuade you to launch your own computer business. If so, the almanac lists the venture capitalists who can help make it happen.

My own bottom line is that these are a couple of handy reference books to have around.