Borland Reflex
Encyclopedia
Borland Reflex is a flat-file
database management system
for DOS
. It was the first commercial PC database
to use the mouse and graphics mode, and drag-and-drop capability in the report formatting module. Reflex was originally developed by Analytica which was later bought by Borland
.
The engineering team of Analytica, managed by Brad Silverberg
and including Reflex co-founder Adam Bosworth
became the core of Borland's engineering team in the U.S. Brad Silverberg was vice-president of engineering until he left in early 1990 to head up the Personal Systems division at Microsoft
. Adam Bosworth initiated and headed up the Quattro
project until moving to Microsoft later in 1990 to take over the project which eventually became Access
. Another Reflex developer, Ken Day, later moved to Macromedia
where he worked on Shockwave, among other projects.
As a testament to properly written software, one can still run Reflex on any modern Windows
-based PC.
Gordon Bell
, a senior researcher in Microsoft
's Media Presence Research Group, includes a case study on Analytica in his book High-Tech Ventures: The Guide For Entrepreneurial Success.
Flat file database
A flat file database describes any of various means to encode a database model as a single file .- Overview :...
database management system
Database management system
A database management system is a software package with computer programs that control the creation, maintenance, and use of a database. It allows organizations to conveniently develop databases for various applications by database administrators and other specialists. A database is an integrated...
for DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
. It was the first commercial PC database
Database
A database is an organized collection of data for one or more purposes, usually in digital form. The data are typically organized to model relevant aspects of reality , in a way that supports processes requiring this information...
to use the mouse and graphics mode, and drag-and-drop capability in the report formatting module. Reflex was originally developed by Analytica which was later bought by Borland
Borland
Borland Software Corporation is a software company first headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, Cupertino, California and finally Austin, Texas. It is now a Micro Focus subsidiary. It was founded in 1983 by Niels Jensen, Ole Henriksen, Mogens Glad and Philippe Kahn.-The 1980s:...
.
The engineering team of Analytica, managed by Brad Silverberg
Brad Silverberg
Brad Silverberg is most noted for his work at Microsoft in 1990–1999 as Senior VP and product manager for MS-DOS, Windows, Internet Explorer, and Office...
and including Reflex co-founder Adam Bosworth
Adam Bosworth
Adam Bosworth was a Vice President of Product Management at Google Inc. from 2004–2007; prior to that, he was senior VP Engineering and Chief Software Architect at BEA Systems responsible for the engineering efforts for BEA's Framework Division. Bosworth had co-founded Crossgain, a software...
became the core of Borland's engineering team in the U.S. Brad Silverberg was vice-president of engineering until he left in early 1990 to head up the Personal Systems division at Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
. Adam Bosworth initiated and headed up the Quattro
Quattro Pro
Quattro Pro is a spreadsheet program developed by Borland and now sold by Corel, most often as part of Corel's WordPerfect Office.Historically, Quattro Pro used keyboard commands similar to Lotus 1-2-3. It is commonly said to have been the first program to use tabbed sheets. Actually, Boeing Calc...
project until moving to Microsoft later in 1990 to take over the project which eventually became Access
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Office Access, previously known as Microsoft Access, is a relational database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of...
. Another Reflex developer, Ken Day, later moved to Macromedia
Macromedia
Macromedia was an American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. Its rival, Adobe Systems, acquired Macromedia on December 3, 2005 and controls the line of Macromedia...
where he worked on Shockwave, among other projects.
As a testament to properly written software, one can still run Reflex on any modern Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based PC.
Gordon Bell
Gordon Bell
C. Gordon Bell is an American computer engineer and manager. An early employee of Digital Equipment Corporation 1960–1966, Bell designed several of their PDP machines and later became Vice President of Engineering 1972-1983, overseeing the development of the VAX...
, a senior researcher in Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
's Media Presence Research Group, includes a case study on Analytica in his book High-Tech Ventures: The Guide For Entrepreneurial Success.