Do you see CR as a declining technology?

[kenhamady]

I just had a potential student ask the following question:

>> the rumor I hear from other I.T. people is that the
>> long term health of crystal is suspect and
>> that its future is short for this technical world ...

Here is how I responded:
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I am probably not the best situated for a 'big picture' view, and it is devilishly tricky to predict the 'long term' in regards to anything technical, but I sure don't see any basis for that opinion. CR has changed hands several times and each time the new owner didn't change it at all but expanded it and usually built their product line around it and its name. SAP is a big gun and they have invested heavily in CR. Plus there is a huge ecosystem built around CR which gives it staying power.

True there are lots of competitors springing up, all with a 'brand new approach', but none of them yet can do what CR can do and they still have to hit critical mass. I think CR is currently at the top of their game. Granted it has had a 20+ year run, but I think of long term in technology as 5 years and I don't see CR going away in 5 years. Besides, even if CR is replaced the skills needed to use the replacement won't be much different. I came to CR from another tool in 1995 and most of what I had learned in the other tool still applied to CR.
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I figured some of you might have some interesting thoughts on this.

Ken Hamady, On-site Custom Crystal Reports Training & Consulting
Public classes and individual training.
Guides to Formulas, Parameters, Subreports, Cross-tabs, VB, Tips and Tricks

http://www.kenhamady.com/

 

[hilfy]

I don't see Crystal going away any time soon. SAP is starting to push is as a way to report off of data from its other software, so I suspect they will continue to enhance it. I agree with you - Crystal may have been around for a while, but it is in no danger of becomming obsolete.

-Dell

A computer only does what you actually told it to do - not what you thought you told it to do.

 

[goesnowhere]

In my opinion, there are 3 factors that may or may not knock Crystal off of the reporting pedastal.

1) New version written in Java. Every Java app I have ever used has been slow. I hope Crystal is the exception.
2) No significant features and enhancements have been added for last couple of years. Competitors keep adding key features and are catching up. Crystal has become a SAP addon vs a product cornerstone.
3) Licensing change for developers where they need to pay a fee in order to redistribute crystal runtimes (Developer Advantage - $2500) versus their end users paying for a copy of developer version. This may effectively reduce the number of copies of Crystal being purchased by end users, who no longer have to buy it, and may cause them to switch if other alternatives are available. ie. If an end user has to turn to a reporting tool to use, why not use the one you already own. Not having to own a copy, opens up the decision to look at other reporting tools. I am curious how this policy has affected Crystal Reports sales since it has been implemented. This reduces volume sales and revenue for SAP. Of course, unless I am missing the picture here.

Crystal is still my reporting tool of choice, but I think one or more of these factors could be a tipping point in the next few years if SAP doesn't push the ball forward faster and secure their user base.

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Once Crystal became part of SAP it has diminished in impact and utility..I still think it is the currently best out there, but others are catching up quickly.
( Frankly I did not like any version after XI R2 ).

I have been a Crystal user since it was Seagate and came on 3.5" floppy disks .





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[Madawc]

Crystal has the huge advantage of a mass of existing software written in Crsytal. I don't know anything much about the alternative tools, but I'd assume that to duplicate a function would more or less mean starting from scratch.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Crystal 11.5 with SQL and Windows XP