FWIW, I'm posting Centura chat here since I don't think majority of the people on the thread would ever check the community log on Centura Web Site.
Centura CEO Scott Broomfield February Chat
Date: 01/20/1999
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sbroomfield:Hello Everyone
Morgy:Hello
sbroomfield:Its been about a month. All of us has been doing a great deal of work.
JohnPC:Good evening, Scott
sbroomfield:Although I will not "preannounce" stuff here today, I can tell you there are some good things coming down the pike.
sbroomfield:Also, I have here today Joe Falcone, our new CTO. He will sit next to me and type when the questions are approriately delivered to him.
jhaddad:Hello
sbroomfield: few things first -- Look on our web site next Monday for and answer to the question as to our net.db vs. Oracle's web.db
sbroomfield:There have also been some questions regarding how solid our relationship is with Dataline, the developers of net.db. I can say for the record that we have a great relationship with Adrian and his team. We work on all projects together and fund much of the development. We have WW rights to the product.
sbroomfield:By the way, those are aome answers to questions previously asked. Now, how about some current questions. By the way, I have seen those of you who are participating on the Chat and I know most of you so go ahead, "Make My Day"
BThouin:Sorry, Scott, what is WW rights
sbroomfield:World wide
BThouin:thanks
Welles:The announcement mentioned your outlook for 99. Where do you see the company a year from now?
jgupta:Scott are you able to give us an overview of Product plans and directions?
sbroomfield:Thats a huge question
tstephenson:Does CWD play any role in Centura's future products? I believe it could be a terrific products but it seems like it has been forgotten, any improvement plans?
jgupta:Yes, but why not start with Blazer?
sbroomfield:We have just finished our planning for 1999. The best message to deliver is that where 1998 was about turning the company around, 1999 will be about growth. Growth both in revenue and profitability.
Welles:Do you view 98 as a success versus your goal of turning the company around?
bradley:Here's one of the questions we received before this session: problems in area that conceptually have nothing to do with ActiveX support. What makes you think that a major task as the runtime rewriting will not be extremely buggy expecially if you plan to release COM generation at the same time?
BThouin:Scott, what I need is also growth and profitability. And that for me means a stable CTD. What is done in this area ?
sbroomfield:The strategy is consistent with what we presented at our user confernce: the embedded database, tools that anable great apps to be built and a strategic move toward microservers. I hope to show the market that we can be the number 1 or number 2 player in EDB and number 1 in microsrevers. As you all know, the tools we are creating with give all of you the COM capability you need.
bradley:Let's try that again: CTD1.5 is still full of bugs, PTF3 fixed a lot of things but there are still problems in area that conceptually have nothing to do with ActiveX support. What makes you think that a major task as the runtime rewriting will not be extremely buggy expecially if you plan to release COM generation at the same time?
sbroomfield:I'll bring Joe on in a moment, but CWD is strategic in that it integrates with our microserver view of the world. tstephenson:CTD1.6 was supposed to support COM automation events but it was canceled and 1.5.1 won't add anything to 1.5. Ajay's article "Eventful OLE" showed us (plus I know it from personal experience) that it's relatively easy to support COM events in CTD, why not add it in 1.5.1?
sbroomfield:Now may I introduce Joe. From here on out please specify whether Joe or myself should answer questions.
jgupta:I would also really like to know where Team Object Manager is heading. Are there any enhancements being planned for the product?
bradley:Here's another question we received: In 2.0 you always mention a threadsafe runtime, is there any plan for multithreading support?
robkabel:Why would I update my current non-Y2K compliant SQLWindows-apps instead of moving to ORACLE, visual basis, delphi etc. I do not have the progammers anymore and need to hire them.
Scott, why would I stay with Centura ?
GPearce:For the record, i'm also interested amongst other things in the plans for TOM
sbroomfield:Everything takes time, even the simplest things -- we didn't want our customers to have to wait another three or four weeks to get Object Nationalizer and Object Compiler (this is the question about CTD1.6 vs 1.51)
tstephenson:Why not release small improvements (easy and useful stuff like a better OO) to CTD/CWD with smaller gaps between each other and in the meantime and in the background rewrite the foundation of CTD? Wouldn't this approach add functionality to CTD bringing it ahead of the competition and make sure that even if 2.0 turns out full of bugs, developers still have a better development system?
sbroomfield:We're very pleased with our award-winning TOM product and we plan to keep improving it - please send us your suggestions!
jhaddad:I would like to know if Centura has any plans to deliver a small version of CTD ie. CTD Solo, Professional ?
tstephenson:Why not release small improvements (easy and useful stuff like a better OO) to CTD/CWD with smaller gaps between each other and in the meantime and in the background rewrite the foundation of CTD? Wouldn't this approach add functionality to CTD bringing it ahead of the competition and make sure that even if 2.0 turns out full of bugs, developers still have a better development system?
bradley:Another from the newsgroup: You always refer to SOLO as a failure but we have seen that the most loyal developers (almost the only ones that are left) started on SOLO and that the results were not monitored. Is there any plan to have a full functional entry level version at a price around $300? If not, why?
sbroomfield:torobkabel -- I don't know enough about your appilication to advise directly, but our CTD has just won an award in France that showed that it was the best team developemnt tool. If your interests our Y2K, then what I would advise you is the the fewer variables you throw at your Y2K problem the better. Our product NEVER loses to Oracle 2000, unless we are up against a corporate deal. Delphi is strong, but I now have the Delphi develop on the Centura team
Thomas Althammer:Although it is good to see the name Centura, the award mentioned in France is not very important. Do you know of any other comparison that is going to be released in the near future? In Germany, UK, the US?
bradley:Another from the newsgroup: You always refer to SOLO as a failure but we have seen that the most loyal developers (almost the only ones that are left) started on SOLO and that the results were not monitored. Is there any plan to have a full functional entry level version at a price around $300? If not, why?
sbroomfield:to tstephenson --- we are in fact pursuing a policy of more incremental improvements - 1.51 is such an example with the 2.00 work occurring in the background
dm:The news regarding US-Mexico border app was good. When should we expect to hear something more about smart cards?
sbroomfield:joe: also, with respect to the German market, our R/3 interface is going to be relaunched at CeBIT and we now have BAPI validation.
BThouin:Scoot, you still haven't answered my question: what about CTD' stability ?
sbroomfield:joe: with respect to SOLO, we're looking at various packaging alternatives to address the education market and increase the pool of available SAL programmers.
sbroomfield:joe: We believe that our efforts to rearchitect the runtime will improve things dramatically in the future.
jgupta:In what way? Smallness of Runtime, more OOP features?
sbroomfield:All of the above - our goal is to have a code base that is more easily maintained and extended for the future
sbroomfield:joe: with respect to smart cards and other devices, the support of "non-traditional" computing devices is a part of our microservers strategy
jgupta:How are you going to not compete SqlBase with MS SqlServer 7?
Thomas Althammer:Again about SOLO: next to the educational version is there going to be a low-priced (limited) CTD so that people start stumbling across it in Programmer's Paradise and other listings?
bradley:And another pre-hat question: There is an awfull silence around SQLBase Exchange, I would like to know: What is the status ? tstephenson:I personally would like to know when do we get a stable CTD. Not everybody needs ActiveX, and you have done no improvements in CTD's stability since the 1.1 version: it still crashes, either silently or not, much too often, causing all lost time problems.
sbroomfield:Joe: three things: security, higher margin on the sell-thru, and our focus on the embedded space
bradley:One of our developers asked: What are the plans regarding Java?
sbroomfield:SQLBase Exchange continues to be important to our strategy - we'll evolve our replication and sync strategy as we implement our microservers strategy
sbroomfield:Len Strickler, our new VP of Sales is in the room now and he is looking into the educational channels question.
Thomas Althammer:Scott: There is hardly any response to questions about SB Exchange in the newsgroup. Is there going to be more customer interaction about this topic in the future?
sbroomfield:Joe: also, wrt the SQL Server question - we continue to have a superior story in Zero
sbroomfield:Administration
sbroomfield:Joe: wrt the question on COM automation events - we're introducing a new outline object in 2.00 which is really the best way to handle these events
jgupta:Will SqlBase also be Self Tuning in the future? That seems to add further ZA capabilites to the MS product
sbroomfield:To Althammer -- When we release our next "secure" version of SQLBase I think the customers will find it an intersting alternative to getting certain information on the Web in a secure way and the synchronizing to a back end DB
Luca:If it's an outline object, how are you going to be able to create multiple instances and isn't it similar to receiving message?
dm:Scott, no response yet on the Java question and my question about what's next about Smart Card - seems like good beginning but nothing after that
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sbroomfield:To JGutpa - Self tuning is on the future product plan. bradley:One of our developers asked: What are the plans regarding Java?
jgupta:I would really like to see a version of net.db with transactional capabilities. How is that progressing?
MarkHunter:It will be hard to grow the SQLWindows customer base in the U.S. - but net.db is another story. It's a little hard to figure out how to sell it - making any progress?
sbroomfield:To DM -- although I have not yet announced it. Centura nows chairs the SQL / JDBC smart card connectivity task force. We are working with a number of companies but I'm not in the habit of announcing discussions with customers or small deals. Also, until I announce Q4 results I am in a quiet period.
Luca:Bye guys...
JohnPC:Scott, when do you expect to have your Q4 figures out?
sbroomfield:To JGupta -- We are adding OLEDB capability to SQLBase and we are adding COM capability to CTD - the goal being to allow the two to interoperate seamlessly in a COM environment
sbroomfield:We'll have Q4 figures out in middle of February
sbroomfield:to JGupta -- we're also adding an interface to net.db to allow it to work with CTD
JohnPC:Do you have any expectations about the full year's results you would like to share?
sbroomfield:We've launched net.db 1.5 and see this url for success stories centurasoft.com
dm:Len, do you see Centura adopting a different strategy to make its presence felt in 1999?
sbroomfield:Joe: we're in the middle of working in some specific vertical markets to demonstrate the superiority of net.db over the competition
sbroomfield:Len: Not a differnet strategy, but a better implementation. Ans Scott says that my presence has already been felt -- to the good.
sbroomfield:To JohnPC -- Cannot talk about anything other than results up through Q3 and products that we have released.
jgupta:As I see Jeremy on the list: Will the OLEDB implementation in CTD be backward compatible with the current SQL Command Cycle?
sbroomfield:I will go online the third week in Feb and I will answer specific questions at that time regarding results and new products announcements.
JohnPC:Understood
sbroomfield:To those of you on the stability question - 151 will been a better level of stability as will 200. We are not only working on new features.
BThouin:When is 1.5.1. due ? I can't wait...
sbroomfield:151 out early March.
Jeremy Shaw:Jon - the OLE DB provider will use our SQL API in the first release. It will be conformant with Microsofts conformance test suite, and will also include extended functionality which allows for server control.
BThouin:Til then, should i "downgrade" from 1.5 back to 1.2.1 ?
Manfred: you mean 1.1.2 ? veikoh:About Visibility. In Madrid You talked about $14 miljon marketing budget. Current rumors are talking about $5 miljon used in marketing. I know only the banner campaign. Was most of this $5 miljon used for those banners or what other marketing activities have been in 1998?
BThouin:To Mafred: yes, sorry, you're right
sbroomfield:A major focus in Q1 is the launch of the "secure" version of SQLBase. By the way, everyone look at the RSA show this week to see how important security is to the markets.
bingraham:Are there plans to contact all of the current Centura customers who are using SAP, and demonstrate this the R/3 interface to them? Is there someone directly in-charge of this?
dm:Len: Oracle offers trial version of their software for $4.95 including shipping and some documentation - in addition to downloading. They also have a formal 60 day evaluation approach. Do you see Centura doing similar things?
sbroomfield:To Veikoh -- Veiko, I never said anything about $14 million. What I said was approximately 14% of revenue. This is a huge diffence. bingraham:Hopefully, Centura is contacting all of the major banks utilizing the Web and trying to sell to them. Are the partners fully involved in this activity?
bingraham:Hopefully, Centura is contacting all of the major banks utilizing the Web and trying to sell to them. Are the partners fully involved in this activity?
sbroomfield:To Bud -- we are going to try this as a pilot in Europe. When successful, we will expand our programs.
BThouin:I'm ONLy doing banking software, so I'll be glad to help in Switzerland. Please contact me
sbroomfield:To Bud -- We are contacting all the major banks and the strong SFA comapnies regarding our secure DB. Bud - I would like you to buy this as well. Our beta looks great right now.
gronk:to Bud: next week we'll present stuff on the banking conference in Austria
Thomas Althammer:what the status of Blazer? Is it ready?
sbroomfield:Why don't you down grade to 1.0
sbroomfield:We have 45 free evaluations
bingraham:Its good to present secure SQLBase at conferences, but it would be great if individual banks are visited directly and shown the product.
jgupta:There haven't been beta programs for some while. When do the beta programs start for net.db 2.X and CTD 2?
sbroomfield:Sorry - we have 45 day free evaluations and our software is slim enough so you can get it over the Web (Web.db is 30MB out of the box, ours is 6MB and includes a copy of SQLBase)
bingraham:And there are alot of banks in the US that utilize the internet. What a great way to get the US partners involved and active.
BThouin:Downgrade to 1.0: Is this an answer to me, Scott ? I have been probably one of the first users of 1.0 and I've ben through all of them, and alzthough I might be critical at times, I am in fact a very loyal developer, so be careful with your statements
sbroomfield:To JGupta - We are doing a Beta now for SQLBase and will do SDRs and Betas as a part of our normal process going forward
sbroomfield:To BThouin - I need a little bit of levity. I would more than happy to talk to you about your problems directly - 650-596-4658
bingraham:To Scott - I'll be working on getting secure SQLBase sold here, I agree - a very good product.
BThouin:Tnaks, I'll contact you...but not now...it's time for bed. Good night all of you
sbroomfield:Blazer is an internal code name for our connectivity software. It will most likely out in Q2, but we have not yet given it a "formal" product name. We are working with a couple of big customers and are working to their specs.
veikoh:Sorry, about my mistake. Have You talked with Nokia to include SQLBase in communicator or with Sony to include SQLBase in DVD players?
sbroomfield:We have also stopped using the Blazer name internally as it was constantly confused with SQLBase 6.1
dm:Thanks for your responses. Do you think 1999 is going to be better than 1998?
dm:...for Centura and its shareholders...
sbroomfield:To Veiko -- We have talked with Nokia and Ericson but those deals take along time to close. If you have any contacts at Sony I am all ears
sbroomfield:To DM -- our 1999 plan shows a growth rate between 15% and 20%. But rember that this is forward looking and needs its appropriate disclaimers. It is enough to say that none of us here like to tread water. We are all in it to grow the business.
sbroomfield:To Mark Hunter -- You have been quiet - any questions from Centura Pro
bingraham:Alot of companies, such as Inprise, allow their software to be purchased directly from Inprise itself. They publish the full retail prices on the web and a number to order. Would it help if Centura also did the same?
MarkHunter:I interviewed Joe Falcone by e-mail earlier this month, so a lot of material will be in the February issue.
sbroomfield:To Mark -- Thanks
sbroomfield:Its now a little past 4:30. Any other questions?
jgupta:Is anything being done to curb the shares swamping the market from New...?
dm:Scott, do you think you have enough resources at hand to deliver various products (as above) after enough testing?
bingraham:Scott, as you can tell, we are happy that Centura's products are being enhanced, but many of your customers are very worried about the products and company's visibility. How can this be dramatically improved?
sbroomfield:To JGupta - I am always working on how to improve the total value to shareholders. Sometimes the Sterling portion falls into these strategies, but as I have said many times, they have a right to sell if they choose. I continue to be a net buyer
sbroomfield:To DM -- We have more ideas than people, so we focus to those key products that we think will add the most value to the business and with the right degree of balanced risk. I think , and our plan idicate, that we have or woill hire the roght people to deliver the products this year.
veikoh:Can Centura produce more news statements. Take a example from Internet companies, who are making a news for every small thing.
sbroomfield:OK - I need to get going. Joe, Len, Charity, Jeremy and I will be talking with you again next month - THANKS and ALL SUCCESS!
JohnPC:Does the treatment of Centura's stock over the last year mean you now see yourself in for a longer tenure than when you first come on
board?
dm:Scott, are you looking into adding an offshore development facility in India etc.
sbroomfield:Bradley here: Special thanks to the Europeans for logging on late in the evening. We'll be sure to move up the time for our February chat.
jgupta:Thanks Bradley. I am leaving for work in 4hrs!
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