Having worked with databases for almost two decades, I more than simply appreciate the work that Commander does, I am greatly impressed. Many of the everyday, real-life data queries needed by corporate decision makers are easily handled without having to write a single line of database code. And, it really doesn’t matter where the data comes from. Commander is at home with all of the popular (and legacy) PC databases as well as with Oracle, Sybase, Btrieve and various flavors of SQL Server.

Commander does the simple things efficiently, quickly and accurately. Take a relational data set of customer orders and this product can give back averages, variances, maximums, minimums and all of the standard statistical analysis numbers you could possibly want. You can take it a step farther by defining a sub-set based on any of the fields in your set. Or, and this is where things get interesting, you can use the "More Like This" picker to define a sub-set you may not even be able to visualize without a great deal of time and difficulty. For example, highlight a record that includes a middle-income family from Detroit who purchased dog food and a microwave oven, and then select "More Like This" from the menu bar. Almost instantly all similar records throughout your data are highlighted. "More Like This" uses artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic to make the matches… I think there’s maybe a genii embedded in the code!

There are seven new and innovative Commander sub-system tools. Other than "MLT" outlined above, these include a "Decision Support System" which provides very flexible searching with tradeoff criteria. The company’s example is to find US Counties where one set of parameterized criteria is "high" while another in the same field is "low"… try writing this one in a standard query builder and you’ll be quick-stepping to the Manifold order page in a flash.

There are so many great things about Commander but not enough room to write about everything. So, as a finale, this one should knock your socks off… Commander can read HTML. I don’t hear any clapping and loud stomping of feet so try this on. Suppose you want to compare your competition’s price list to your own. You log on to their site and find, lo and behold, they post a price list by category. Sure, you could print out the results and type them into a database to make comparisons but, with Commander on the job, you can read the HTML page as if it were live data. This allows you to have both data tables (yours and theirs) in an environment that is super statistic friendly and compare margins to your heart’s content.

If you really need to know more from your data than is on the surface, Manifold Database Commander is one must-have addition to your analytical toolbox. Even the price is outstanding… I’ve seen software that does just bits and pieces of what Commander offers in the $500 to $1000 range. You can download or order the CD of this one for just $145… get out the petty cashbox.

Check it out online. http://www.manifold.net and take a peek at some of the other engineering solutions to complex questions while you are there.