ODBC (Mike OShea)

[Bill Campbell]

On Sat, Feb 11, 2006, Kenneth Brody wrote:
>Quoting Bill Campbell (Fri, 10 Feb 2006 19:32:07 -0800):
>[...]
>> That reminds me of early IBM networking protocols which were designed
>> primarily to limit competition from other vendors.  As soon as vendors
>> figured out how to deal with one protocol, IBM would come out with a
>> new, more complicated one, totally incompatible with their previous
>> versions.
>
>DDE.  OLE.  ODBC.  DAO.  ???
>
>And let's not forget "here are the standard keys to use for things --
>ctrl-ins, shift-del, etc -- oops here are the new standard to use for
>things -- ctrl-Z, ctrl-X, etc -- and any resemblence to Apple's long-
>established keystrokes is purely coincidental".

Using OS X on a KVM switch with a ps/2 keyboard presents some interesting
challenges :-).

Then there was the WordStar diamond where they used x-on and x-off for
cursor control.  Didn't work very well on serial terminals.

How about Microsoft's using ESC to terminate commands when ESC was created
explicitly to *START* a command sequence (why do you think that FilePro
used ESC-ESC).

There are major problems with pass-through printing because printer
manufacturers didn't have a clue about terminal control codes.  Terminal
manufacturers who used the same code for the backspace key and left arrow.

The fundamental problem is that people write software or design hardware
without understanding the environment in which it will be used.  The
WordStar authors didn't have a clue about serial communications.  Many
application developers on DOS and Windows have never understood the
requirements of multi-user, multi-tasking systems, or have a clue about
security on a network.  People write ``accounting'' software without
knowing the basic fundamentals of double-entry bookkeeping or the work
flows in the target business.

One of the major strengths of FilePro has always been that it's easy enough
to use that people who understand accounting and business operations to
create systems that meet their needs without becoming professional
programmers.

Bill
--
INTERNET:   bill at Celestial.COM  Bill Campbell; Celestial Software LLC
URL: http://www.celestial.com/  PO Box 820; 6641 E. Mercer Way
FAX:            (206) 232-9186  Mercer Island, WA 98040-0820; (206) 236-1676

A paranoid is a man who knows a little of what's going on.
		-- William S. Burroughs