Will this Database help my business?

newphotographer · Apr 13, 2008

Hi,

I must be losing my mind. I made a post a couple of weeks ago asking about databases to run a photographic business, and now I can't find the post!!!

Anyway, here is what I found!

A studio management system that runs on MY computer. No monthly fees, and no being tied to a web host.

Downloaded the demo - the site says it will be on the market a week from now.

My question is: Is it any good???? Your opinions would be appreciated. I got the demo here:

http://www.venturedatasafe.com

Thank you!

amandakifer · Apr 15, 2008

maybe I'm wrong... is this your site? Sound like the wording you used in your last post. Just curious. Sounds like they give misinformation about other companies as well.

newphotographer · Apr 15, 2008

Hi,

yes, it is the same words, that's where I read them!

Not sure what you meant about misinformation, but I am not sure that I want to pay the likely price. I emailed and asked, was told somewhere around $500.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

newphotographer · Apr 15, 2008

amandakifer said:
maybe I'm wrong... is this your site? Sound like the wording you used in your last post. Just curious. Sounds like they give misinformation about other companies as well.

Hi,

I was curious, and had another look. What misinformation were you refering to?

Rhys · Apr 15, 2008

I just had a look. Very interesting but I prefer all my records to be on paper. I've seen too many disastrous crashes resulting in complete data loss with computers - even when backups were employed.

newphotographer · Apr 15, 2008

I agree, things can happen.

But I do think that having something online only leaves you at the mercy of the provider. What happens if they crash???

Hey, what about paper and fire? Or water due to floods? Is there any absolutely secure method?

Rhys · Apr 16, 2008

newphotographer said:
I agree, things can happen.

But I do think that having something online only leaves you at the mercy of the provider. What happens if they crash???

Hey, what about paper and fire? Or water due to floods? Is there any absolutely secure method?

I have a firesafe that's also waterproof. I would love to be flashy and have everything on my PDA so that I could make bookings etc via my PDA. Unfortunately my PDA seems to crash about once a day - sometimes several times in a day. Sometimes even the reset button doesn't work and I have to wait for it to run out of juice, lose everything in memory and start again. Hence I cannot trust a PDA.

I have seen and experienced some truly devastating computer failures. Now I store all my data on multiple DVDs in multiple locations. My accounts I keep in my safe on paper. I don't do anything remotely book-like on the computer save for entering my annual accounts via a spreadsheet for submission to my accountant.

newphotographer · Apr 16, 2008

Wow,

that PDA of yours needs to be thrown off a very high bridge. You have to let it run down, and lose your data, before you can use it sometimes?

I am guessing it isn't an iPhone! I store a lot on mine, and of course it syncs with my computer very time I drop it in the charging dock. Keeps my addresses, calendars, emails and god knows how much music! Oh, yes, and it makes phone calls too!

Dump your PDA, it's not worth the trouble anymore.

Have a great day!

Rhys · Apr 16, 2008

newphotographer said:
Wow,

that PDA of yours needs to be thrown off a very high bridge. You have to let it run down, and lose your data, before you can use it sometimes?

I am guessing it isn't an iPhone! I store a lot on mine, and of course it syncs with my computer very time I drop it in the charging dock. Keeps my addresses, calendars, emails and god knows how much music! Oh, yes, and it makes phone calls too!

Dump your PDA, it's not worth the trouble anymore.

Have a great day!

Lol. If I ever buy another PDA then it definitely will not run Palm OS. At the moment my usable PDA cost me 35 cents and the stylus cost me another 20 cents and yes - it's a notebook and pencil. My Palm Zire 31 is good only for playing games on. I found last time I looked that the Palm website did not now have the free games it used to have. This means that when this PDA fails I might buy another but from another manufacturer with an ample supply of free games. It gets a bit monononous playing the same 6 games. I have a feeling the battery isn't as good as it used to be. When that dies or the screen dies, that'll be the end of it. When I reboot quite often the screen comes out with strange lines all over it so possibly the video chip is going. That clears up after a couple of hours use though.

newphotographer · Apr 16, 2008

Well, I am a BIG Apple fan, and the iPhone is AWESOME. It's also very handy that when the upgrade the software, the phone does even more things!

Funny, I have one, my wife has one, and right now, as I am typing, my father in law and mother in law have 2 brand new ones sitting on a table in Caribou Coffee. I am about to activate them!

Good luck, whatever you do.