Antiquated Software

Sun Jan 15 16:42:00 PST 2006

>> The 2nd thing I disagree with you on.. is people should NOT give up on
>> filePro at this point because they don't have the features we all....

Well, lets see... I believe its been 5 years now since we got a release with
any real new features.  Some of the features we desperately need, like
printing memos, and while they (memos) was added, they need to be finished
and/or fixed.  One of the major reasons that I have given up on filepro is
the ability to use memos...  

I would probably upgrade if the memo stuff worked...  Let me explain why
that is so important...  I write software and do hardware and network stuff
for a living, so my accounts receivable program needs to handle inventory,
and invoices to name a few...  When I go to a clients location to work, I
may work on 10 different computers in the one session...  Now, when I bill,
I open my invoicing program and start adding line items (1 for each
system/service that I worked on).  With that line item, I need to be able to
write all the related details pertaining to the line item.  That may be as
simple as a single line, or it could be a page long.  This data will be
either typed or pasted in from my field laptop running windows based apps.
Now into the next line item, until we have entered all 10 line items.  And
of-course, this is all on 1 invoice.  Now we have to print the client the
invoice.  The invoice needs to print all the line item stuff (stk#, desc,
unit price, ext price, and then the memo if there was data entered into it.
If the memo field for that line item is empty, then the memo field doesn't
waste any space on paper when printing.  It needs to be able to flow onto
the next page, because we have no way of knowing how big or small the memo
data is.  If the eyes of filepro reads this and makes it a reality soon, I
and my clients will upgrade, but don't wait too long, as I have already
started the transition, and I now have 6-7 years of X-base programming under
my belt...  

>> One of the things I disagree with is adding the functionality of variable
>> fonts, text sizing for screens. This is probably not possible for the 
>> 80x24 engine base and so why ask for it.

Well then give us scrolling fields, or a user defined screen as in 132x??,
because we desperately need more screen real estate.  I work in a quad(4)
monitor environment where I have 4 19" lcds connected to make a single
desktop.  If you have never experienced a workspace like this, then you are
missing some very affordable awesome power...  I can open 12 anzio sessions
and see and work between them all in real time... no ALT-F1----F12 stuff,
because I can see it all concurrently.  I can cut and paste from one to the
other...

>> FP Tech should make an arrangement with Rassmussen Software to include
>> some version of Print Wizard with filePro.

I totally agree, as they are the experts in unix to windows printing, Bob
and Bobby know their stuff.

Stanley Barnett

-----Original Message-----
From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com
[mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of Paul McNary
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 6:35 PM
To: 'Fplist (E-mail)'
Subject: RE: Antiquated Software

-----Original Message-----
From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com
[mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com] On Behalf Of John Esak
Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 5:09 PM
To: Stanley Barnett
Cc: Fplist (E-mail)
Subject: RE: Antiquated Software

Stanley, I'm going to top post to your very well written comments. Just two
things. I agree with everything you said but two items, and I would like to
add another .

One of the things I disagree with is adding the functionality of variable
fonts, text sizing for screens. This is probably not possible for the 80x24
engine base and so why ask for it. Everything else you mention I think is
do-able and *should* be done for filePro.

The thing I would add is that filePro should have a mode wherein it can
print to "dumb" windows printers. Forget the print code tables and allow the
generation of  whatever it takes to make the windows drivers do their thing.
Allow developers and users to decide which they want, either the
PCL/print-code paradigm or the dumb windows bitmap thing. It is just
absolutely required these days. Your client goes out and buys one of the
dumb printers and all you can do is say, sorry , can't print to that. At
worst case, FP Tech should make an arrangement with Rassmussen Software to
include some version of Print Wizard with filePro.

The 2nd thing I disagree with you on.. is people should NOT give up on
filePro at this point because they don't have the features we all nee....
but help by buying into this upcoming release so it might have the resources
to do all the things we need... 

That's it...

John Esak

P.S. - by the way, not being able to print memos is a very big thing I fully
expected to see in 5.6 and I don't think it's in there yet. If it
didn't/doesn't make it into 5.7... *then* I think I would agree with you
even on the suggestion to go out and start getting some serious RDBMS skill
sets going. (classical Codd-Date RDBMS's I mean.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------
Hello

Why are we stuck with 80x24(25)?
It would help me to have 132x54 character based. 
I have started changing to GUI based also, but like Stanley says, the mouse
isn't needed.
The GUI coding gives precious screen display real estate that in a high data
environment
like pharmacy is needed without screen switching. If a GUI is coded
correctly without a mouse,
the results are similiar to a character based screen if the horsepower is
high enough.
Pharmacy can usually afford the horsepower..
Mouse based entry is not an automatic requirement of a GUI just the default
usually.

Thanks for listening

Paul McNary
McNary Computer Services

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