Not necessarily as the above. But unless I'm mistaken, consider;

a). TopSpeed is a merged corporation. So there's a history to the name.
I point this out early, because I understand change is hard, complacency
is easy.

b). TopSpeed has several software products, the most successful being
Clarion, be it DOS or Windows incarnations.

and my experience:

c). There is a major push by TS to promote CW. The TopSpeed C compiler
comes a distant second. Check activity on CI$, TS's own web site, CWtalk
etc.

d). Every time I contact a vendor/ tech support rep/ third party tool
vendor, I keep getting the "Claris??", and that gasp of bewilderment
that goes along with it.

And, I keep having to respond to that same old question "*WHAT* compiler
are you using?"

You could never believe how happy I would be if I could say, "Oh, I
program TopSpeed". It's that split-second moment that makes ears stand
up. I would more garner respect from these people immeadiately.

Even if it is a wordplay.

But I don't, I program in Clarion, which is what TS calls it. So when I
have the C MS SDK guru on the line...

The Support people. You see, they are accostumed to hearing VB, delphi
in the second breath of a call. And are semi-resigned to it. And they
have an old routine that says see the /VB4/samples..whatever for a
working example.

Then I interject with my "Clarion for Windows" and draw response d)
above. And immediately I'm suspect. And treated like a Martian.

The word "Clarion" is a nice word indeed. And, as has been pointed out,
it recalls notions of "solidity, togetherness, unwielding" and a slew of
others. And middle-age connotations in my opinion. As in ;

"The clarion Knights felled the enemy until their clarion armor could
repel no more".

If I'm not mistaken, the new CW 2.0 choice of icon has to do with this
hearldic aspect too.

That's very nice. But business is not about niceities. Great compiler it
is, why does TS insist on calling it Clarion? It's like going to an
interview with a black eye.

Whwn is TS going to wake up? The TopSpeed C compiler is dead. CW is
alive but everyone and I mean everyone, hears Claris when you say
Clarion and it's an uphill battle thereafter.

Tom Foley

Mike Gould

+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Michael Gould                                              |
| TopSpeed Corporation - Consulting Division                 |
| Team TopSpeed - Internet                                   |

| CIS   :  71756,3176                                        |
+------------------------------------------------------------+

Having used Modula II for many years, I know where you come from.

"Isn't that some sort of dBase imitator?"

"I don't think you could do the job with a basic derivitive."

Unfortunately, it's not the best product that wins, it's the one which
makes the most noise.  The noise doesn't even have to be positive!  I once
saw 2 competing products.  One incredibly bug ridden.  Suddenly, there was
an add for an accessory program to help you work around the bugs.  FOR
ONLY $495...

Guess which product was lost in the e{*filter*}ment over the other's bugs?

Tom Ruby

Hi All.

COMPLETERY AGREE with Tom Foley.

Vasiliy Goncharenko.

Tom,

Been there, done that bud! <G>  Here is how I worked around it:

When I was looking for work, I contacted every personnel agency in
town and sent them resumes.  Most of my resume is Clarion related.  If
some call back and ask, "What is Clarion?", then this is a good agency
as they bothered to call back and get their mis-understood cleared.  I
then explain to them what it is and what I am looking for (as well as
a salary range that only an Oracle programmer would command).

This is quite humorous as the shock of this gets their attention!
Believe it or not, they do get back to me and say they have an opening
for a CW programmer at so and so...

One agency even got Clarion added to their "skills" inventory!  These
are agencies that service MAJOR corporations, like GTE, Honeywell and
Ernst & Young (who is now a Clarion user).

The point is, you have to beat the drum for it as it certainly will
not land on your doorstep.  I got tired of being frustrated by nobody
has heard of Clarion.  So I turned it around and I got "shocked" that
they never heard of Clarion!  THAT WORKS!!!!!  Try it <g>.

Keep the faith!

Russ Eggen
Topspeed Consulting

Bernard Grosperrin - Team Topspeed Internet