|  |     Be careful! AS is quite good. It will access flat files, VSAMs and
    DB2 files. The real killer is the AS graphics component. AS will
    do all sorts of graphics, based on GDDM of course. The graphics
    are scalable (sizing is optional), data labels can be moved around
    by the user. The graphs are close to high resolution-type graphics.
    They are very flexible, and quite simple for end-users to learn.
    
    For applications and reporting, AS is PFkey-driven, and again easy
    to use. Equalling AS will require a good end-user application
    development/report writer with a very good graphics package. 
    
    Call me for suggestions.
    
    ---- Michael Booth (DTN:367-7033)
    
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|  |     1) Performance can be quite bad, when not using the SQL interface.
       Adding users also rapidly degrades performance.  I recall that users
       were required to log on with a memory size of 4MB.
    
    2) Access to DB2 databases is not locked as with TEAMDATA.  Multiple
       concurrent users of the same DB2 data from AS can result in lost
       updates.
    
    3) DB2 has a limit of 15 joins.  Using a query from AS reduces this
       limit to 14.
    
    4) The user interface and general facilities are quite good.  It
       even includes a word processing facility (much like RUNOFF).  Similar
       tools are available in the DEC environment, they just aren't integrated
       the way they are in AS.
    5) IBM sells AS as a 4GL.
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