Homage to DataPixel Software

Sunset on DataPixel Software

With no affiliation to DataPixel.com of Spain, DataPixel Software produced a number of developer tools with Helix RADE for Classic Macintosh operating systems prior to MacOS.

DataPixel Software modified and developed custom database applications for various companies. Additionally, the small company produced analytical tools like Evalix before analytics became popular.

Using pseudo AI, it converted element counts into multiligual suggestions. Evalix could even identify differences between two databases. A Benchmarker app measured performance of various hardware configurations with a suite of tests.

Helix Express, in an earlier incarnation, exchanged hands several times. From 1998 to 2013, DataPixel.net was one of the three largest websites for Helix RADE users. With coding tips and online classes, it was a daily destination. The Rapid Application Development Environment with object-orientated graphical user interface was a valuable introduction to programming.

Within the environment it was possible to quickly develop standalone applications. The propriety Macintosh software only was at least one operating system behind. Other obstacles to mass deployment were high costs for developer, server and client licenses.

There was a push from loyal users for compatibility of Helix applications with Microsoft Windows operating systems. Then mobile operating systems began to dominate. With phones now the primary computers of most people, developing apps that only run on MacOS presents challenges wide adoption.

For these reasons, the need to maintain the DataPixel.net website has become more irrelevant since 2013. For 10 years, the archived site has simply memorialized the company.

Kevin Williams moved to Perl programming, and more recently Liquid on the Shopify platform. Therefore, the author of several Helix RADE applications, will deactivate DataPixel.net on February 14, 2023.

According to the latest information, a new owner, Big Giant Donut, is totally rewriting Helix RADE. There will be an effort to maintain backwards compatibility.

The good news is that DataPixel application development techniques with Helix RADE lives on within this ClinicalPosters website. Parsing text to create interactive stories within ClinicalNovellas is an example.