Several weeks ago I submitted a link to a site that displayed a history of computer languages. If you noticed, most procedure languages ended in the 1990's. Only the Object Oriented languages continued into the 21st century. I could drift off into a dissertation on the pro's and cons of procedural languages verses Objects Oriented as well as Hierarchical, Relational and Object Oriented databases. I'll spare you the agony and simply state the facts. The OO paradigm shift happened while the MUMPS world was imploding. In my humble opinion it is no longer an issue of 'whether' the language should evolve in that direction, it is the only place to go! Maintaining the status quo is a dead end!
A while back Kevin T. made a comment stating that MUMPS was a database scripting language. Thirty years ago when one tier (physical) systems were the rage, MUMPS played the role and played it well. Today, one and even two tier systems are an anachronism. By default, MUMPS has evolved into a server side technology (database + scripting language) whether we like it or not. When organizations look for a database solution today, they want something that will coexist with modern day technologies. They want something that performs and is widely used (large population of knowledge and support). IMHO, it is time to view MUMPS as a server side solution and to evolve it into the mainstream as an OO scripting language that supports an OO database (store or OODBMS). And, this must be done independently of any existing applications (Yes, VistA will have to evolve also if it is to survive). As many of you know, we have been down this OO path before. I will not exhume all the OO corpses that have been buried along the way :-) Hindsight is usually 20/20. If we are to revive the MDC, lets do it based on where the industry is today, not the 'good ole days'. This not only applies to the technology, but to the process of standardization as Chris R. outlined in a different message. Terry L. Wiechmann www.esitechnology.com 978-779-0257 Skype: twiechmann ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancy E. Anthracite" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 12:38 PM Subject: Re: MDC/MUG Revival - Just do it (was) Re: [Hardhats-members] Nov17th interview [added] Dr. K, MUG, MDC, Goodbye Mumps > It seems I have heard some discussion about object oriented mumps. Is that > along the lines of what you are thinking? > > On Thursday 25 November 2004 09:29 am, Terry Wiechmann wrote: > > If the community is going to revive the standardization process, it better > > have a 'vision' beyond the Millennium Standard. The fact is MUMPS is > > perceived as an old procedural language. It's viewed as dead by the > > 'outside' world. If you want to get new blood involved, the goals for the > > language will have to show an evolution towards what the rest of the world > > wants, not what makes the existing MUMPS community comfortable. Its future > > must be viewed as in step with existing technologies. Without climbing into > > the pulpit, I think everyone knows the direction it must take :-) > > > > Terry L. Wiechmann > > www.esitechnology.com > > 978-779-0257 > > Skype: twiechmann > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Joseph Dal Molin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 8:01 AM > > Subject: Re: MDC/MUG Revival - Just do it (was) Re: [Hardhats-members] > > Nov17th interview [added] Dr. K, MUG, MDC, Goodbye Mumps > > > > > I have just returned from Brasil where I gave a worskshop on open source > > > in health informatics. I was invited by the Brasilian Health Informatics > > > Society and as a result have made some good friends and excellent > > > contacts. I will contact both the current and past president of the > > > Society as well as colleagues in Sao Paolo to inform them of this > > > discussion. > > > > > > What this will need is a small team of midwives and lots of publicity > > > and support. With a team in place I will table a motion at our next > > > WorldVistA board meeting to support to this effort. I should think that > > > the VSA would want to do the same as well as the Pacific Telehealth Hui. > > > We can then use press releases etc. to get the word out.... we have good > > > access to reporters several trade journals etc. We can also use other > > > medical informatics forums such as the openhealth list....and submit to > > > Slashdot. Also all the medical informatics schools should also be > > > > contacted. > > > > > Unfortunately all I can offer is to help launch this group, I have no > > > expertise in M at all....but I do have a great deal of experience > > > building communities of this kind in health informatics. > > > > > > Cheers, > > > > > > Joseph > > > > > > Prof. em. Dr. med. Wolfgang Giere wrote: > > > > I fully agree with Arden Forrey's remarks. It was a shame that the > > > > "Millenium > > > > > > Standard" did not happen. It took us a long march through the > > > > institutions to make > > > > > > Mumps an ISO-Standard. > > > > > > > > To revive MDC as official body can be done either using the old > > > > ANSI-affiliation or > > > > > > through a ISO WG (that would be the "normal" way). Both ways reuire > > > > international > > > > > > participation. I suppose, MUG Germany would be willing to participate > > > > (I > > > > cannot ask > > > > > > my successor Wolfgang Kirsten, he is hospitalized right now). Also I > > > > guess, Frans > > > > > > Witte (Netherlands) could be reactivated. Ion Diamond in GB? I do not > > > > know whether > > > > > > he is still active in the field. But there is a new commercial Mumps > > > > available in > > > > > > GB. Finland? I do not know the actual state of M-use there. What about > > > > South > > > > > > America? Could George Timson trigger participation? I once visited > > > > M-using > > > > > > hospitals in Sao Paulo and might be able to find out. We should get NEW > > > > people. > > > > > > I did not follow the ISO-story. Is the standard sustained? I have been > > > > asked in > > > > > > Germany and suggested to vote yes, but I did never ask for the results. > > > > Does > > > > > > anybody know? > > > > > > > > Wolfgang Giere > > > > > > > > "A. Forrey" wrote: > > > >>I definitely support Joseph's statement, as Rick and other hard hats > > > >>already know. I felt dissolution of both the MTA and the MDC were wrong > > > >>following the 1999 meeting and the fact that the "Millenium Standard" > > > > was > > > > > >>ready for ballot at that last meeting but never happened was a setback. > > > > It > > > > > >>can be reversed. A host organization for the MDC and an organizational > > > >>framework for an ANSI-accredited SDO must be written. The NE MUG > > > >> remains > > > > a > > > > > >>viable organization and encompass all the market, not just healthcare > > > >> or VistA and this will be important. WV must actively promote getting > > > >> this done. Bashkar can offer inputs regarding other market segments > > > >> and an initial listing of Suppliers of of M-based products and > > > >> services must be compiled quickly to aid in this effort. The HH > > > >> website can be a > > > > mechanmism > > > > > >>of dissemination. Another question of great importance has to do with > > > >>building the education infrastructure to which Dick Walters insights > > > > will > > > > > >>be important. We must stimulate the creation of programs which feature > > > >> M and how it is integrated into the Life Cycle Principles for system > > > > design > > > > > >>and implementation as well as how to utilize its unique features to > > > >>advantage. This subject was pushed at the Sept 1998 MDC meeting in > > > > Seattle > > > > > >>but had not taken off by the 1999 San Diego meeting; the resurrecred > > > >> MDC must be structured to address this education issue in this broad > > > >> context as it will drive a stake in the heart of the "MUMPS is OLD" > > > >> saw being > > > > used > > > > > >>to rid the market of a powerful component. We must draw on the M vendor > > > >>list to be created. We here at UW will contribute to rebuilding the M > > > >>Education capabilities. > > > >> > > > >>On Wed, 24 Nov 2004, Joseph Dal Molin wrote: > > > >>>It is definitely time to do it....it is not constructive to see this > > > > kind of > > > > > >>>press as the VA "hates" MUMPS.... rather it should be seen as "we need > > > > help" > > > > > >>>to a) address the deficiencies b) we do not be dependent on a single > > > > vendor > > > > > >>>c) we need company. Ironically, a new MDC that leverages an open > > > >>> source "business" model, can I believe, without any doubt do what the > > > >>> Red Sox > > > > just > > > > > >>>did. More importantly the rest of the planet will need an MDC etc. > > > > because > > > > > >>>the will need the same things the VA needs whether or not the VA > > > >>> sticks > > > > with > > > > > >>>MUMPS..... > > > >>> > > > >>>I am not a MUMPSTer...so I say this from a practical strategic > > > >>>perspective..... it is indeed a time for revival...a pragmatic > > > > one...that > > > > > >>>focuses on improving and leveraging what is good about M and > > > >>> dispelling > > > > the > > > > > >>>mythology and misinformation that has bred in the absence of an > > > > MDC/MUG. With > > > > > >>>so many vendors still using M, eg. Epic, Meditech, Cerner, McKesson > > > > surely > > > > > >>>there is both commercial and user interest. Epic for example, has > > > > become one > > > > > >>>of the best systems in the industry....in part it's its > > > > management...but one > > > > > >>>cannot ignore its underlying architecture. BTW is there anywhere a > > > > commercial > > > > > >>>system that uses the full architecture proposed for 5 years from now?? > > > >>> > > > >>>joseph > > > >>> > > > >>>Nancy E. Anthracite wrote: > > > >>>>This is the article I posted days ago that many of you could not read > > > > and > > > > > >>>>that I said I would try to get for you, so here it is and this was > > > >>>> the original URL. The original thread was Joseph Conn's interview > > > >>>> with > > > > Dr. > > > > > >>>>Kolodner. > > > >>>> > > > >>>> http://www.modernphysician.com/news.cms?newsId=2817 > > > >>>> > > > >>>>Notice how the lack of a Mumps Users Group and as a corollary, I'm > > > > sure, > > > > > >>>>the MDC, is the backbone of his argument that VistA needs to be moved > > > > to a > > > > > >>>>SQL database. The MDC desperately needs to be revived. > > > >>>> > > > >>>>I found this URL interesting last night. This is a company I was not > > > > aware > > > > > >>>>of. If their product is good, it would seem to satisfy the VA's > > > > burning > > > > > >>>>desire to extract and analyze their data in an SQL database as they > > > >>>> do > > > > not > > > > > >>>>seem to want to do that straight out of a Mumps database, probably > > > > because > > > > > >>>>so many people are trained in making SQL queries but not in how to > > > > extract > > > > > >>>>data from VistA. I actually thought that Cache had this capability > > > >>>> in > > > > it > > > > > >>>>already, but I may be mistaken. > > > >>>>I suspect that this company owes its viability to already being used > > > > by the > > > > > >>>>VA, but I don't know about that. In fact, maybe some of the folks in > > > > the > > > > > >>>>company are on this mailing list or come to WV meetings, I don't > > > >>>> know. > > > > One > > > > > >>>>would think they are as disappointed as we are that the database is > > > > being > > > > > >>>>moved by the VA. > > > >>>> > > > >>>>http://mde.srs-inc.com/aboutmde.html > > > >>>>It is interesting that he mentioned that it will be inexpensive to > > > > move the > > > > > >>>>data from one SQL database to another, but the cost of the move from > > > > mumps > > > > > >>>>to the SQL database will certainly not be. > > > >>>>I wonder what the cost of performing the needed maintenance to a the > > > > mumps > > > > > >>>>database would be as compared to the cost of this move. > > > >>>> > > > >>>>On Wednesday 24 November 2004 01:08 am, Joseph Dal Molin wrote: > > > >>>>>Could you please provide the URL for this so it is adequately > > > >>>>>referenced....thanks!!! > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>>Joseph > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > >>>>>>Here it is Nancy. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>Tom Henderson > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>FOIA version of Vista remains available despite recent changes > > > >>>>>>/*By Joseph Conn <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> / *November 17, 2004/ > > > >>>>>>// > > > >>>>>>Despite plans to overhaul its Vista clinical system, the Veterans > > > >>>>>>Health Administration will continue to offer copies of its > > > >>>>>>multimillion-dollar software to private-sector users for a nominal > > > > fee > > > > > >>>>>>under the Freedom of Information Act, according to the Department > > > >>>>>> of Veterans Affairs' top physician informaticist. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>"We have the full support of the VHA leadership to continue to keep > > > > this > > > > > >>>>>>in the public domain," said Robert Kolodner, M.D., acting chief > > > > health > > > > > >>>>>>informatics officer at the VHA and deputy chief information officer > > > > for > > > > > >>>>>>health at the VA. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>On Nov. 8, the VA published a request for vendors to submit > > > > statements > > > > > >>>>>>of their capability to provide the VA with what it called > > > >>>>>> "rehosting support." It also called for vendors to provide routine > > > >>>>>> service and support for the VA's Vista healthcare information > > > >>>>>> technology system. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>Kolodner said the move also would have no immediate impact on an > > > > effort > > > > > >>>>>>initiated by the VA and the CMS to develop a version of Vista for > > > > the > > > > > >>>>>>physician office practice. That software should be ready by summer > > > > 2005, > > > > > >>>>>>according to the CMS. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>One goal of the proposed five-year contract is to move the VA's > > > >>>>>>healthcare IT system from the programming language and database on > > > > which > > > > > >>>>>>it was first written in the late 1970s and where it remains today: > > > > from > > > > > >>>>>>MUMPS, or the Massachusetts General Hospital Utility > > > > Multi-Programming > > > > > >>>>>>System (now known as M), to, as much as possible, open-source > > > > versions > > > > > >>>>>>of the Java programming language and possibly at least two > > > > relational > > > > > >>>>>>database systems, Kolodner said. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>Kolodner said the VA initially plans to run a national database on > > > >>>>>>software from Oracle Corp. and regional databases on the relational > > > >>>>>>database portion of Cache, a program by InterSystems Corp., which > > > >>>>>>incorporates a proprietary version of M now used by the VA. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>"But it could be on (Microsoft's) Sequel Server or SQL or any other > > > >>>>>>database," Kolodner said, adding the VA would incur a "relatively > > > > small > > > > > >>>>>>cost" to convert Vista from one database to another if need be. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>"We've had a history of staying vendor-independent," he said. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>Within the VA, M has developed almost a religious following among > > > >>>>>>programmers for its speed, dependability, flexibility and > > > > scalability, > > > > > >>>>>>and several of today's leading commercial healthcare IT systems > > > >>>>>> have > > > > M > > > > > >>>>>>at their core. But Kolodner said it is time to switch. > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>"MUMPS has served us very well over the last 20 years," he said. > > > >>>>>> "We have done a lot with it, and it has supported our needs." > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>However, many M vendors have been bought by InterSystems and a > > > >>>>>>once-thriving MUMPS user group has gone defunct. Today, there are > > > > fewer > > > > > >>>>>>programmers skilled in M than in a more modern language, such as > > > > Java. > > > > > >>>>>>"There are times when it is much too expensive and takes much too > > > > long > > > > > >>>>>>to make changes and support the needs that we have," he said. "Java > > > > is > > > > > >>>>>>taught in more schools than MUMPS is." > > > >>>>>> > > > >>>>>>In addition, Java and relational databases are better suited > > > > together, > > > > > >>>>>>he said. > > > >>>>> > > > >>>>>------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>>>SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > > >>>>>Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real > > > > users. > > > > > >>>>>Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading > > > >>>>> now. http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > > >>>>>_______________________________________________ > > > >>>>>Hardhats-members mailing list > > > >>>>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >>>>>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > >>> > > > >>>------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>>SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > > >>>Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real > > > > users. > > > > > >>>Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now. > > > >>>http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > > >>>_______________________________________________ > > > >>>Hardhats-members mailing list > > > >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >>>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > >> > > > >>------------------------------------------------------- > > > >>SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > > >>Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real > > > >> users. Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start > > > >> reading now. http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > > >>_______________________________________________ > > > >>Hardhats-members mailing list > > > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >>https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > > SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > > > Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real > > > > users. Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading > > > > now. http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > > > > > . > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > > SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > > Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real users. > > > Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now. > > > http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > > Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real users. > > Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now. > > http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > > _______________________________________________ > > Hardhats-members mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > -- > Nancy Anthracite > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide > Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real users. > Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now. > http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ > _______________________________________________ > Hardhats-members mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members > > ------------------------------------------------------- SF email is sponsored by - The IT Product Guide Read honest & candid reviews on hundreds of IT Products from real users. Discover which products truly live up to the hype. Start reading now. http://productguide.itmanagersjournal.com/ _______________________________________________ Hardhats-members mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/hardhats-members
