Re: Who yields - client or developer? Your opinion

From: Larry Linson <larry.linson_at_ntpcug.org>
Date: Wed, 22 May 2002 22:02:25 GMT
Message-ID: <RzUG8.1061$md.578_at_nwrddc02.gnilink.net>


I suspect you can't guess, from the number that is entered.

However, because computers are for computing and do it easily and well, you should never save yourself a little work at the expense of making the user do something that you can do _for_ them (unless the customer who holds the purse strings insists on that to save some development time/effort). The whole point of a computer application is to make someone's job easier (or, in more extreme circumstances, make someone's job possible), not to make the developer's job easier -- if the latter were the case, then you wouldn't create an app, you'd just tell them to do it manually using their pocket calculator if they want to save some effort.

Thus, you should accept input, give the user a place to check off what units are used in the input, and convert (as has been suggested) to a standard unit (or, if the customer prefers just print the units along with the number). If this will _cost_ you because you gave the customer a fixed price or flat rate without having an "airtight" specification, consider it a learning experience.

--
Larry Linson
   http://www.ntpcug.org -- North Texas PC User Group
   http://members.tripod.com/ntaccess -- Access SIG
   http://members.tripod.com/accdevel -- Access Samples and Examples

Graham Bellamy <dontwriteme_at_ask.first.com> wrote in message
news:acgvrv$fm2$1_at_perki.connect.com.au...

> I want to receive application rate in a data field (eg. L/Sq.m). There are
various forms
> of this rate, but ultimately I want to multiply it by the area to find the
volume. The
> user reads this value from the label of the bottle. But sometimes the rate
is written as
> Sq.m/L (how many square meters will 1L cover), in which case I would have
to divide by the
> area.
>
> What is more recommended? Design the db such that it can decipher which
form the rate is
> being input, which for me (bit of a rookie) would be quite a headache. Or
require that the
> user does a simple inversion calculation on his hand calculator (or I
could make a little
> form for him, so he still doesn't have to think) and enters that value, in
which case any
> future reporting will show the value in L/Sq.m and not what is written on
SOME of the
> bottles? I guess this last point (report display) is my main concern.
>
> Note: In my particular situation the rate could also be kg/Sq.m,
kg/Sq.m/mm, Sq.m/kg,
> L/Sq.m/mm, as well as the L/Sq.m and Sq.m/L
>
> TIA
> Graham
>
>
Received on Thu May 23 2002 - 00:02:25 CEST

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