| The title and subtitle indicates corporate thinking as I | | | | customers is "required", or "capslock", or "able to be |
| have heard it, from many of the clients I know who | | | | changed by the user". · Whether the "Apply |
| have a DOS product fueling their company's IT | | | | Finance Charges" option accepts only a Y/N value |
| needs. The fact of the matter is that there is | | | | and whether the value for a new customer is |
| apprehension to move from a proven software | | | | defaulted to "Y" or not... and how! · Whether |
| platform. So why invest? | | | | one can delete a payment or not! · Whether |
| "The most important development in computer | | | | these kind of options must be re-coded for every |
| technology since the IBM PC" | | | | module or not! |
| What was this magazine cover article describing? Not | | | | 6. Combining Similar Functionality: One of the most |
| a DOS to windows move! It was describing the | | | | visible changes of a conversion to oops takes similar |
| onset and implementation of OOPS programming | | | | DOS executables such as "Enter Sales Order", |
| technology that I glanced at while marking time in a | | | | "Change Sales Order", "Delete Sales Order", etc. and |
| company's waiting room many years ago! More | | | | moves them into one program. The ability to do this |
| important than nice windows interfaces and gui | | | | is the power of oops centralized coding and new |
| screen design! The fact is, that both DOS and | | | | windows technology which just simply outperforms |
| Windows can be programmed with "Object Oriented | | | | DOS technology and spaghetti code. |
| Programming Style" but the odds that your DOS | | | | 7. Transaction Control: One of the most basic data |
| program has this structure is very low. | | | | related improvements introduced into database |
| Here's my spin on the top 10 ways this affects your | | | | technology since most DOS programs were written is |
| life: | | | | transaction control, where "half baked" transactions |
| 1.Spaghetti Code VS OOPS: The older style of dos | | | | that partially succeed, leaving a cleanup job for IT are |
| programming has become known as "spaghetti code" | | | | totally eliminated. |
| when seen in contrast to oops. The basic structure, | | | | 8. Speed: It is true that DOS speed is unmatched by |
| layout, and philosophy of coding software changed in | | | | windows technology. It's not true that this is a |
| a wave of approval that is now standard with every | | | | significant advantage considering that the reason for |
| modern programming language. | | | | dos speed is partially that the transactions do not |
| 2. Centralized Coding: The new style of programming | | | | flow thru centralized business rules to perform their |
| impacts your cost to adjust business rules in a huge | | | | database actions, but simply "write to disk" directly! |
| cost savings factor. The cost savings come mostly | | | | 9. Maintenance: Once your system is retrofitted to |
| by being able to release new versions without | | | | use oops programming style and structure, changing |
| unwanted side effects, and also in terms of IT time | | | | a business rule such as the way a sales order is |
| to create, test, and deploy. | | | | calculated is a matter of changing the business layer |
| 3. Don't Fix it if it isn't broke!: This stand on computer | | | | rule in one spot, instead of updating "sales order |
| technology was caused by spaghetti code! With | | | | entry", "change sales orders", "print unshipped |
| "spaghetti code"/DOS standard technology, a change | | | | orders", and "update order as delivered". The tongue |
| in business rules was feared because it generally | | | | in cheek saying for this amazing new technology is; |
| caused an upheaval in operations. With DOS standard | | | | "One changes the business rule in just one spot, and |
| technology, your system is comprised of hundreds of | | | | the resulting code is either perfect system wide, or |
| individual standalone executables running from a menu | | | | wrong system wide!". |
| structure where each of the programs contains | | | | 10. Investing in Technology: The time to invest in a |
| duplicate code to perform similar functions along with | | | | DOS to windows conversion is overdue. If you've |
| its look and feel individually set. | | | | waited for the "wrinkles to smooth", the "bugs to be |
| 4. Training: Compare the training necessary to learn | | | | fixed", or determined in the past that the |
| the function keys that operate DOS with a simple | | | | "investment" wasn't worth the result, then I believe |
| OOPS menu (generally regarded as a windows menu, | | | | you are on the brink of extinction, because the |
| but also available in dos) where the function you | | | | software engineers that understand BOTH the dos |
| want to perform "enter payments" is listed from a | | | | and windows technology (and hence the ability to |
| dropdown menu instead of "doing 4-2-5-7 as my first | | | | render a modern version from the old true code) are |
| job in the morning". A standard oops interface | | | | on the verge of retirement! If you wait, it's a total |
| includes a FILE/SAVE option along with standard | | | | rewrite to face. |
| Microsoft keys that are known to many users, and | | | | Summary: These are my top ten reasons to consider |
| once trained in them apply to "all windows and web | | | | a DOS to Windows conversion, and if you started |
| products" - not an exercise in teaching company | | | | with a goal to port some of your functionality to the |
| defined keystrokes! | | | | web, please consider the windows conversion a |
| 5. Standardization: New technology standardizes the | | | | half-step there, because most platforms/languages |
| look and feel of your individual modules inside one (or | | | | have an extension of the business rule layer that is |
| just a few) programs, not only from the "windows | | | | applicable to the web, or usable by a webapp so that |
| look" but in the way that the business rules apply | | | | part of your cost is a move closer to internet |
| such as; · Whether the company name of | | | | presence, whether it be customer data sharing, order |
| customers is labeled "Customer Name:" or "Client:" or | | | | entry, part availability, or simply customer and |
| "Name:". · Whether the company name of | | | | prospect information gathering. |