Antiquated Software

[Laura Brody]

On Fri, 13 Jan 2006 11:15:13 -0600, Linda Hapner <fplist at hapner.com> wrote:

> Salesmen at my biggest client are calling my database system "antiquated".  It is a very nice suite of integrated databases, and we work very smoothly.
>
> I suspect his "antiquated" comments are due to the fact that we are character based.

	Which displays his ignorance front and center.

> All of us that actually do the entry and upkeep do not want a GUI interface, but I'm starting to think that perhaps I should have the sales folks in the GUI mode.

	This makes me think of the Dilbert cartoon where the
pointy-haired boss wants a laptop, so Wally gives him an
Etch A Sketch. We learn this when the boss asks "Hey, I need
to reboot my laptop." and then Wally tells him to shake it.
The boss happily goes away.

	What we REALLY need is some kind of study/competition
which demonstrates the data entry speed difference and
the long-term maintenance costs of filePro vs GUI. Show
these clueless wonders what a mouse actually costs them
in time and money. A database needs a mouse like a waitress
at a West Virginia Hooters needs a PhD in quantum
physics. (Just teasing, Dr Pulliam. I'm sure that the
Hooters girls in your state are very well-educated and
a few even have their own teeth! <g> yee haw!).

	I would bet cold-hard cash in a non-trivial amount
that a top-level data-entry gal who has been at it since
Eisenhower was president would have a drop of productivity
of around 50% or more if she had to navigate through the
exact same screen with a mouse on some GUI database.

	Does anyone have any kind of ideas that would
help us all out by proving this scientifically?
-- 
Laura Brody, Publisher of the filePro Developer's Journal
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