Borland Paradox

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Paradox is a relational database system for OS/2 and DOS with a version later showing up for MS Windows that was very different from the other two versions although mostly compatible with the exception of the programming language.

Paradox was quite a different take on the database that most of the other database packages popular at the time, it was heavily influenced by the spreadsheet package Lotus 1-2-3 in looks and function and this was not the least apparent in the programming language that was shipped with the database, known as Paradox Application Language (PAL) and although a fairly common 4th generation business language in some way it could be recorded from keyboard actions like a Lotus 1-2-3 macro.

History

Originally released in 1985 by USA independent publisher Ansa Software in 1985, it was taken over by Borland in 1987, who went on to port it to OS/2.

A version for the Mac was not shipped. The Reflex flat file database that on DOS was a budget software with limited programming abilities, existed in a version for the Mac was already quite an advanced relational database.

Paradox SQL

An add on program developed for Paradox OS/2 in 1988 that emulated the SQL interface of IBM DB2 and allowed Paradox for OS/2 1.0 to replace IBM's product as a database server, this was later given more generic SQL features and ported to other operating systems.

Versions

Paradox 4.5 for DOS folder
OS/2

announced by Borland in late 1987 but actually not shipped until summer 1988. A superset of "Paradox 386" but could run all programs developed on it and "Paradox version 2"

  • 2.05
  • 2.1
DOS

Ansa Software

  • 1.0 (1985)
  • 1.1
  • 2 (1986)
  • 2.01 (1987)
  • Version 386 (1987)

Borland International

  • 3.0
  • 3.5 (1990)
  • 4.0 (1992) - re-written mostly from scratch in Borland C++
  • 4.01 (1993)
  • 4.02 (1993)
  • 4.5
Paradox for Windows 3.1
  • 1.0 (1993)
  • 4.5 (1993)
  • 5.0 (1994)
  • 7 (May 1996)

Publications

  • PC Magazine's famous 1988 rave review of Paradox OS/2 which asserted that it was the first OS/2 software that took advantage of the OS/2 feature set to such a degree that it made sense for people to move from DOS to the newer OS.

License

  • Commercial software - DOS and OS/2 versions discontinued, MS Windows version still available.

Authors

  • Richard Schwartz & Robert Shostak (original authors) - Ansa Software 1985
  • Borland International, Inc.
  • Corel Corporation Ltd.