Sheriff Desktop About

About Sheriff Desktop

In late 2008 we realized that the Sheriff's needed a software package to take them into the future. Our popular Sheriff Access software that was available at that time used technology that was not all that reliable, and aging quickly. After carefully considering our options we settled on building a new Sheriff product from the ground up based on Windows architecture and using a MySQL database for data storage.

This has proved to have been an excellent choice of technologies. In the meantime MySQL has been acquired by Oracle, but Oracle have not changed the free recipe, as everybody thought they would. The MySQL Community Server can still be acquired from them under their GPL license. This is a database engine of immense power, stability and flexibility, and can handle enormous workloads without a hiccup. It is also ideal for remote Internet connectivity, where it is completely at home. It is basically immune to load shedding!

Sheriff Desktop History

After incarnation 3, each incarnation kept, and improved on the best features of the previous one.

1st - 3rd incarnations (Sheriff Office 1987)
First installed in 1987
Disdainfully referred to as the mickey mouse program by our opposition
Ran under MS-DOS, Windows 3.11, Windows 95, Windows 98
4th incarnation (Sheriff Access 2002)
An all new product built from the ground up using VB6
Our first proper Windows application
Released in June 2002
First to use a relational database (MS Access)
Ran under Windows XP
5th incarnation (Sheriff SQL 2009)
An all new product built from the ground up, but still using VB6
Released in October 2009
Database technology changed from MS-Access to MySQL
Ran under Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows 11
6th incarnation (Sheriff SQL Desktop 2019)
An all new product built from the ground up using .NET technology
Released in June 2019
Name shortened to Sheriff Desktop in early February 2024
Includes the optional Data Service feature (if configured)
Runs under Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2016/2019/2022

Where we are today

Today we still listen to what our sheriff's want, and together we make it work. New features are continuously being added, and existing features get upgraded and refined. Extensive use is made of the Internet. We support and train our sheriffs using WhatsApp and TeamViewer. We still issue software updates at no additional cost.

The sheriff's use software like TeamViewer and AnyDesk to work remotely from anywhere when there is no load shedding.

How to get Sheriff Desktop

Download and install TeamViewer. Alternatively, run your already installed TeamViewer app. When you have it running phone us on 082 565 0258 and give us the ID and password we need to remotely connect to your computer. It's as easy as that. We'll install Sheriff Desktop for you at NO cost. After a period of 30 days you will decide if you want to use it. You are under NO obligation to use or pay the software. We will honour that promise at all times. In the unlikely case that you don't want it, you can simply uninstall it.

Is it working for you yet?