Add and Subtract

As previously blogged, we need a better Writer's Database. Progress on the replacement is glacially slow, but it is happening. The main thing I've done is come up with the name - something I find I have to do before I can properly start work. It's going to be called Subtract. A fairly obvious pun for submission tracking software but it amused me!

I'm at the very early stage of designing the underlying database - which really boils down to deciding what information I want to record about markets, works etc. It's coming along nicely enough, with the old Writer's Datbase as the starting point.

For techie readers, I'm using Microsoft SQL 2008 Compact Edition, which gives me pretty much everything I need in a database engine, although doing without stored procedures will take some getting used to. But it's powerful, small and offers support for built-in synchronisation, which might prove very useful at some point. Once the basic database is done I'll then start building the software layers on top of it. I plan to write these using Microsoft Visual Studio Express 2008 in C#.

Still, while this is going on, the old Writer's Database is still out there and being used. I had an email from a user this week with these comments :

Thanks so much for providing the database freeware. Your design is perfect and very easy to use. You should sell this thing to the writer's market or something.

Not bad for such ancient code!