dwermske

I think you are referring to VisiCalc (the first spreadsheet software for PCs) not LisaCalc. If you are truly older than dirt, then you must have coded in Autocoder for IBMs 1400 series then may be Assembler on IBMs 360, 370 and 3090 series or may be even COBOL, IMS DC/DB, CICS, DB2 or even TSO with ISPF. You might even have experience coding in IBMs access methods like SAM, DAM, ISAM, VSAM, VDAM VISAM or BTAM & VTAM. If you do, then you are truly older than dirt like me. When PCs came along, in the 80s, they were considered toys compared to big-iron. PCs weren't even considered intelligent terminals. Boy has that changed. I have more compute power and storage on my iPhone than on any mainframe system from the turn of the century.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

You are probably right about the name. It didn’t catch on. By the time it showed up I was already working with my second generation of FMP, a financial planning modeling language that I wrote in APL. It provided a 3D version of a spreadsheet that could be used on a mainframe and later on a PC.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

I remember VisiCalc, and some of the other names you mention as well. You did not mention FORTRAN. I remember when FORTRAN 77 was the new version!

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

For me the start was CPM bundled with SuperCalc, WordStar and Dbase on an Osborn. Those hold the original charm. Word and Excel are incremental improvements, but not nearly as magical.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Started using Fortran about '63

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

So, from the wealth of legacy database technology expertise, can we draw out any experience-based wisdom? A person owning a desktop RDBMS such as MS Access can certainly develop a series of main and sub tables that together manage the locations and attributes of the digital images on the storage of their local hardrive(s). But, what is the relevance of this ability of the individual to the general photography population? In their own free time / hobby time, they've developed a tool that addresses their limited needs, providing just search management. LR manages more than image attributes such virtual images (virtual copies) and virtual locations (collections) in the Library module, just a portion of all the modules LR provides. Is the robust, complete, industry-leading toolset worth $10 / month? That remains still a decision of the individual photographer.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

What I like about Lightroom is that the database is integrated into the program. You don't have to keep your database in one program and do your editing in another.

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

I have been using MS Access for over five decades with scanned film because the scans contain no useful EXIF data.

I could have done the same for digital images but it's not necessary. All that I need is a logical file structure. I can locate an image without having to open any software other than Windows Explorer.

It's relevant to everyone because it follows the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Stupid.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

You can add all the standard EXIF data into your scanned JPEG images .... Find and download the command line executable EXIFTOOL. Regarding KISS principles, you're actually failing the premise of the idea when deciding to make (complex) instead of buy (simple) ...

selmslie Loc: Fernandina Beach, FL, USA

Why would I want to do that since all of the relevant information (that I care about) is already recorded in the Access database?

The EXIF information in the scanned file only needs to contain information about the scan. But it can't tell me anything about the settings I used during scanning, which would be more relevant. Neither would it tell me anything about any editing I may have done later (none, in this image).

Scanned as a JPEG and never edited

(Download)

Access entry: taken in Callahan, FL, HP5 in a Rolleiflex developed in Xtol 1+1 for 8:15 @ 75°F

(Download)

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Adobe has never charged for Bridge!

neillaubenthal

Hi guys…OP here. Thanks for all the good thoughts. I'm unlikely to leave LR unless the price goes up significantly…I've tested Luminar's DAM and it's still pretty slow. Cloud storage is pretty much useless to me as we live full time in our RV…so what I need is file management for the originals which live out on my file server in the RV and the ability to post process files. I can easily do the latter in either ON1 or Luminar…and since apparently Bridge is free for use I could…if worst came to worst…use it for management and one of the others for processing. I really don't use keywords at all…all my photos are stored in year/month folders and I know when I was where so figuring out the right folder to look in is pretty easy…the only thing I really use is stars and all of the starred ones are 4 stars which means I put them up on my blog…with the exports being out to a different folder.

I am basically just researching alternatives to see what might be usable later…if LR turns out to get too expensive…although if the subscription does I would even consider just buying a single perpetual subscription license and using it that way…there are numerous other cheaper image editors I can use on the Mac side. I don't really take that many images over to PS anyway…so Acorn or Pixelmator Pro would serve just fine for the few that I do.

cmoroney Loc: Pasadena, California

I first got into Fortran in the late 80's and gleefully adopted F90 and F95 when they became available. But then Python caught my attention so I haven't kept up with my Fortran. But there are some tasks for which Fortran is the best solution by far so it's still in my toolbox.

Not older than dirt ...

dwermske

You might what to take a serious look at ON1 Photo Raw 2019.5. It runs circles around Luminar and can replace LR and PS. It can also import directly from the LR database. Very easy to work with and is loaded with positive features. Has many videos also available. Free download and trial period.