About
Dean Database is a record-filing program for the Tatung Einstein from Dean Software, the publisher of Music Composer. Its title screen reads “D E A N D A T A B A S E (Version V1.3) COPYRIGHT DEAN SOFTWARE 1984”, and the program’s own remarks date this version: “COPYRIGHT DEAN SOFTWARE 1983,1984 V1.3 23/10/84”.
It is written in Xtal BASIC, split into several programs that chain into one another. You create a file by setting up its fields, then add and edit records, sort them by any field, and print them. At the start it asks whether a printer is connected.
Running It
Boot the disc, type XBAS, then RUN"START". Answer the printer question, and the menu offers to create a new file, load an existing one, or end the program.
Files on the Disc
| File | What it is |
|---|---|
START.XBS | title, menu, creating and loading files |
MAIN.XBS | entering and editing records |
SORT.XBS | sorting records by a chosen field |
SETUP.XBS | setting up the fields of a new file |
CAL/PRIN.XBS | printing |
TO18R.OBJ | machine-code routine loaded by START |
XBAS.COM | Tatung/Xtal BASIC 4.13 |
About this File
This copy was found on an unlabelled disc beside other software, so it is a working copy rather than the disc as Dean Software sold it. The package holds a disc image (.dsk), a MAME image (.mfi) and a flux image (.scp) generated from the .dsk, all three verified to hold the same 400 sectors. Dumped on 27 September 2026 with a Greaseweazle V4 and an original Einstein 3″ drive.
Can You Help? The Original
If you have Dean Database as Dean Software sold it, with its disc label, packaging or instructions, we would love to preserve it. Please get in touch.
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