X-base

When the day comes along you can replace Excel with a Lilliputian 10 KB program... That day may not have arrived but X-base makes an interesting study. Based on 411 and the tenets 'why not?' and 'well of course', it gives new meaning to the expression 'lean and mean software'.

Not that there are not limitations. And severe ones. But the prospect of creating, editing and saving bona fide database files with a mere paltry 10KB program file on disk is mind boggling. Yet true.

Let's begin with the limitations, for they are severe:

• You have exactly twenty six (26) columns to play with - the letters in the English alphabet (what else).
• Data is in text format, and cannot 'calculate' like Excel. You may only display it.
• Tabs are used as the file field separator, no substitute allowed.
• When importing to Excel, you must go through the Import Wizard.

All that said and done, you can go ahead and do what you like.

And while screen coordinates are saved on an application wide basis, column widths are saved in a discrete fashion on a per-file basis. Meaning every X-base file comes back to you exactly as you left it.

X-base is a great general database utility for all kinds of lists you will need to create. And - again - it's only 10KB on disk. Think about it.

File size: 10KB.