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Tips on using this forum..

(1) Explain your problem, don't simply post "This isn't working". What were you doing when you faced the problem? What have you tried to resolve - did you look for a solution using "Search" ? Has it happened just once or several times?

(2) It's also good to get feedback when a solution is found, return to the original post to explain how it was resolved so that more people can also use the results.

R.I.P. to Asta Tilos, Asta Power Project and Open Plan

25 replies [Last post]
Mon, 2010-01-25 18:37
Rafael Davila
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PP Admin,

By mere observation on the rate of postings in the Trivia Forum Discussion Category is obvious it is more relevant to PP users than the combined interest on Tilos, Open Plan and Power Project. Trivia Category in about 3 weeks got 11 Topic Titles; at this rate it will have 198 Titles in a year and 3,960 in 20 years, while Tilos, Open Plan and Power Project Combined got 155 in over 20 category-years.

Maybe it is about time PP Admin closes these Forum Discussion Categories of low interest as this could open space to newer and more powerful software, this to the benefit of the PP community. I would appreciate if PP Admin follows the needs of the PP community, what the statistics for years have said. Stop favoring software PP community is not interested at the expense of others.

For 5 months no one has posted on TILOS Forum Discussion Category, reads are more because of curiosity than because of need.

R.I.P. TO ASTA TILOS, ASTA POWER PROJECT AND OPEN PLAN FORUM DISCUSSION CATEGORIES

Best regards,
Rafael
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Replies

Sat, 2010-01-30 17:47
#1
Mike Testro
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Hi Scarlett

My Grandma said say nothing
If you can’t say something nice
So when you speak to Rafael
Please take her wise advice

Best regards

Mike Testro
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Sat, 2010-01-30 16:10
#2
Scarllet Pimpernel
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Raffy Kid,

I hope you learn a very important lesson here in PP.

The lesson is: you really do not know whom you are speaking.

They could be the kingsmakers in PP or just anyone (the common planners or the idiot planners).

While we could almost conclude the death of the above-mentioned software, suddenly, by magic, it became alive with logo attached in the same level as oracle.

and your goal to place spider project in pedestal is nowhere achieve.

maybe we can try a different approach.

Thank you,
Scarlett

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Sun, 2010-01-31 02:10
#3
A D
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his / her advice?
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Thu, 2010-01-28 09:21
#4
Andrew Willard
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Thanks Rafael,

I appreciate your kind words

Regards

Andrew
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Thu, 2010-01-28 09:04
#5
Rafael Davila
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Gary and Andrew

Andrews answer is what I have experienced with Asta before, a great answer from great people, I am disarmed. I have no other option than welcome Asta and look for other ways in my pursuit.

Andrew and Asta, you are very welcomed on my part, I have a very good opinion of your software and wish some features unique to Asta Powerproject were available in other software.

You have already proved how much value Asta is going to bring. Bring it on.

Alexandre,

You are right, but in war and love, everything goes.

My excuses and best regards,
Rafael
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Thu, 2010-01-28 08:25
#6
Gary Whitehead
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Rafa: Oracle partering with PP was menacing because they would take control of PP and no other software suppliers would be given an equal footing, now Asta comes along and proves you completely wrong on that assertion, but now they are the menacing ones because not many people discuss them?

Strange argument, in my view.
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Thu, 2010-01-28 07:17
#7
Andrew Willard
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Strong words Rafael and thankfully you are far from the reality of what we wish to bring to the site.

It is true that our existence may be challenged as may that of any other company in any competitve market. If it were not for competition we would be unable to keep moving forward with our offerings, which are in line with market feedback.


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Thu, 2010-01-28 07:12
#8
Bo Johnsen
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At least Asta Powerproject has made an announcement on their webpage that they are deligthed to join PP as sponsors.

http://www.astadev.com/campaigns/emails/newsletters/PowerlinesJanuary201...

Let’s welcome them - and hopefully many others.

Regards,

Bo
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Thu, 2010-01-28 06:46
#9
Rafael Davila
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I perceive Asta becoming a PP Partner as more menacing to newcomers than Oracle because of Astas low acceptance at PP. Asta as a partner will have more influence to prevent others to get their own place. Newcomers might challenge Astas existence if within a couple of years they move ahead and keep Asta at the bottom.
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Wed, 2010-01-27 08:02
#10
Bo Johnsen
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Hi Mike,

Yes, you’re correct that the progress line itself will be zig-zag in MSP, however, the status/report date is vertical so you can see how the progress is compared to the status date. One thing to do in MSP is then to reschedule uncompleted work to start after the status date, resulting in split activities, activities will move and so the critical path(s), thereby seeing the effects of delayed progress (I can vaguely recall Trevor explaining something like this in another thread some weeks / months ago…).

Anyway, without knowing if this is exactly the same as you’re talking about, I’ll investigate further in Powerproject

... and take it up in the relevant forum group if needed be.

Best regards,

Bo
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Wed, 2010-01-27 07:03
#11
Mike Testro
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Hi Bo

A question to Mike: What do you mean with “vertical progress lines” in Powerproject? I’ve checked in Powerproject (only using it rarely) and if what I’ve located, I can do the same in MS Project. What exactly are you saying that Powerproject can do here, but MS Project can’t (maybe should have been put forward in another forum / thread, but it was brought up here).

In MSP the progress drop line is zig zag and - as far as I know - it cannot be set to vertical.

A vertical drop line is essential to demonstrate the effect on the Critical Path of the progressed activities.

This can be done on most other sets of softweare.

Best regards

Mike Testro
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Wed, 2010-01-27 05:34
#12
Bo Johnsen
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Well, first of all: Welcome to the logo of Asta Powerproject. Nice to see something else than just Oracle. Maybe that can get the sometimes heated discussion about “Oracle controlling PP” laid to rest for a while (even though they probably do to some extent…).

IMO, there should be room (= a forum) for any planning software system, no matter big or small or discussed thousands of times every year or just once, on PP. Packages like Spider Project, SciForma PSNext, Candy, Microplanner, Dynaroad, BIM-modelling + 4D/5D software systems, etc. should have a dedicated forum on PP if desired by somebody. PP is free and should stay that way – the meaning of “free” also implies “irrespective of size or economics issues”.

To create a forum probably doesn’t take up that much space or long time to set up and if these forums only get a handful of threads every year so be it – we are here to discuss planning issues and get Q/A no matter utilized planning system or experience (even though a bit of “DOYR” should be required before putting forward a question).

Therefore, I’m both with Rafael for Spider, Alexandre for SciForma, Andrew for Powerproject (now on board), and even for Microsoft’s (Project) logo even though Mike in another thread state “Don’t even go there…”.

“Valuable space” like Rafael puts it can be a problem, but then why not let these companies that can advertise their logos for “free” on PP, like Oracle and now Asta Powerproject, give a small contribution to let PP purchase an additional TB or two on a server somewhere in the world. “Space” doesn’t cost much nowadays and all what we upload to PP is text that doesn’t consume a lot of space – not graphics, pics or vids.

A question to Mike: What do you mean with “vertical progress lines” in Powerproject? I’ve checked in Powerproject (only using it rarely) and if what I’ve located, I can do the same in MS Project. What exactly are you saying that Powerproject can do here, but MS Project can’t (maybe should have been put forward in another forum / thread, but it was brought up here).

Best regards,

Bo
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Tue, 2010-01-26 09:33
#13
Andrew Willard
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Rafael,

Your beef is with PP Admin about Spider Project. I do not think I need to put my case forward any more.

Andrew
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Tue, 2010-01-26 09:27
#14
Rafael Davila
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Andrew,

If your users have no issues with the software they can communicate the ideas under general discussion forums where issues not tied to the intricacies of your software are discussed. Ironically I am discussing issues related to the intricacies of Spider Project at a single monstrous thread on a general discussion forum at the request of PP Admin. Your needs are already being fulfilled, the need of others are not.

Best regards,
Rafael
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Tue, 2010-01-26 09:05
#15
Andrew Willard
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Rafael,

I am assuming the point of this forum is not just as a replacement help desk. It’s a forum to share ideas,learn and educate. This is what I hope to do with the Powerproject forum. I want to use it to share the experiences of planners who use our software.


Andrew
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Tue, 2010-01-26 08:41
#16
Rafael Davila
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Mike,

My postings take no more space from your computer than any web browser page in your computer whenever you see a web page. It downloads nothing to PP, it just make references to graphics posted elsewhere that are downloaded independently by each viewer, the same way graphics are downloaded when surfing the internet. Thousands might be viewing my postings at the same time and all happening at PP is the sending to their computer of a HTML code. This is done every day at most of our forums, maybe on average with not so much intensity as people do not take time unless there is a purpose.

How many pages you browse every day? Maybe hundreds. Most do take space in my Photobucket account but due to the speed they download I suspect they are converted to other format, efficient for web browsing. The image is shown in my screen instantly not at the same speed it takes to upload or download the image in its original format.

Andrew,

You just hit on the reason of my point, this software are so easy their discussion is not needed, why then to take so much valuable space on PP where many of us do have the need to discuss the issues of our particular software. You do not have the need, we do. I am referring to Spider Project software users, it took me over 6 years to notice the existence of Spider Project hidden in a corner at PP.

Alexandre,

More tolerant? For how long I have been begging for a place to discuss Spider Project while the Trivia Section took no more than 2 hours to be available after a request by a moderator? I have been tolerant and will continue being tolerant, just will continue my quest for justice, even if becomes a never ending quest.

More professional? What I have posted here in this thread that is a lie? I just made a reference to statistics, numbers don’t lie, and people do. I am not cheating with regard to the number of postings as anyone can confirm by their own, I am not using inadequate language nor going against the personal prestige of any member of the PP community, I am not calling names to anyone. Space is limited and sometimes you got to fight for it, especially when you are in true need and others without the need are using it.

Best regards,
Rafael
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Tue, 2010-01-26 08:19
#17
Mike Testro
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Hi Alexandre

Last year I worked alongside a French planner at Toulouse University and I managed to get him to switch from MSP to Powerproject.

The main selling point was the vertical progress drop line.

Best regards

Mike Testro
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Tue, 2010-01-26 07:39
#18
Andrew Willard
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Alexandre,

Thanks for your kind words. The French market is indeed a tough one to crack!

I hope over the forthcoming months that we can get the message over that there is an alternative to the software that get the majority of posts on this forum!

Regards

Andrew
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Tue, 2010-01-26 06:11
#19
Andrew Willard
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Dear Rafael,

You make an interesting point!

Here at Asta we are very keen to make attract more interest and feedback on our products. Perhaps you notice our logo at the top of the page alongside Oracle!

Check out our websites www.astadev.com and www.tilos.org to see how successful our products are. Powerproject and Tilos are used on many flagship projects worldwide and we are very proud of this. We don’t achieve this much success without having a ‘powerful’ product. As to it being new, we have just released Version 11 of our software which is designed entirely based on our users and prospects feedback from around the world. We have no desire to dictate to users the future of planning software.

Maybe planners don’t post a multitude of ‘How do I do…?’ posts in the Powerproject and Tilos forums because the software is easy to use, it’s backed by high class localized training and local help desks that can resolve any issues that users may require assistance on?

I hope that as Asta takes a more active presence in Planning Planet, the traffic will start to increase and members like yourself will start to see the benefits of our software.

All the best

Andrew
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Tue, 2010-01-26 03:59
#20
Mike Testro
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Hi Rafael

Have you calculated how much space is taken up by your graphic inserts?

Best regards

Mike Testro
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Tue, 2010-01-26 03:18
#21
Forum Guest
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Hello Rafael,

You have made some interesting points that will certainly be discussed.

When you state maybe its about time PP close some low interest categories and open space to newer and more powerful software... please advise specifically which software you are refering to and we will certainly look into it.

Our Regards... Admin Team
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