Re: Throughput and storage requirements questions for modern vs old database processing apps

"Jim Kennedy" <kennedy-family_at_home.com> wrote in message news:Mi%L7.72688$XJ4.40300774_at_news1.sttln1.wa.home.com...

> trying to get them to buy a whole new system (in this case
> hardware, software, application software, evaluation time, and training)
is
> going to be a major uphill battle.
I think they'll go for it. I will offer to improve the hardware first. I have already broken the suggestion to them that the database needs to be replaced. Based on the customer's reaction, this work will be done in stages. I expect it will be spread out over a year.
>
> ntx files are index files in Clipper. DBF files are the Clipper database
> files. The program is not stored in the database but in an executable on
> each machine.
Thank you for eliciting these important points.

>
> If you are talking about a commercial quality RDBMS (Relational Database
> Management System) then the whole system is a database not just the files.
> The database engine knows how to read and manipulate the data files where
it
> stores its data. Each database or database system (RDBMS) stores the data
> in its own internal format. There is a published API (application
> programming interface) to access the data via the engine. For example,
most
> commercial RDBMSs can be accessed from the MS Windows environment via the
> ODBC API or their own native API. These APIs are the means to communicate
> with the RDBMS. You don't manipulate the data directly (e.g. access the
> files that contain data) but use an API and a language (usually SQL -
Struct
> ured Query Language) to get, set, change, and manipulate data.
Thank you again.

> Given the size of the company if you are going to recommend that they get
a
> new application and a commercial quality RDBMS (one that has ACID
> properties - Atomicity, Concurrency, Isolation , Durability). I would
> recommend purchasing a packaged application that meets their rental shop
> needs. I know nothing about rental shops so I cannot recommend one to
you.

I am shopping for a rental program, as you suggested. The leading candidate, to date, is one called "Systematic." This vendor has training regimens for the end users. It hails from Ontario, Canada, and is written in the "ProIV" language (spelling? I've never seen it written; I was told this over the phone). Systematic is a client/server application, and requires a Microsoft server (NT4+sp? or W2K).

If you care to comment on the above, I'm all ears. Ever heard of ProIV? Is this good, or bad, or indifferent?

> I do know about technology and databases and I have my preferences, but I
> think that whole issue is irrelevant at this stage. Their other choice is
> have someone build it for them. I don't think they will save money in the
> long run that way. Unless it really is a small application, and it
probably
> isn't, it just will seem that way at the outset, these things have a way
of
> scope creep. Also do you really want to be in the software support
> business?
The prior, outgoing application was custom written. I prefer to avoid that. Given that the two offerings I have reviewed promise to be "highly configurable by the user," with "additional customization available by the manufacturer," I doubt this application needs to be written from scratch. There are many rental companies out there, and I expect the path is blazed already.

>
> I love building applications and since I got laid off at the begining of
the
> month I would love to build it, but I don't think it would be an effecient
> use of their capital.
I'm sorry to hear you got laid off. It happens to the best of us.

Thanks again. Received on Sun Nov 25 2001 - 08:38:54 CET