> I was wiping a PC's HD a couple of months back and decided to > install a free DOS onto the HD. I was amazed at how simple the startup process > was and how fast I booted and got to that C:\ prompt. > > Do all businesses need a multi threaded, quad core processor > just to run the latest screen saver? <bg>
Certainly some truth there. My story kinda relates, so I'll mention it. Back when VFP3 was announced, I thought about it for a while, and then made what has turned out to be a bad business/financial decision. At the time, I had a FPD version of my app (automates a home-based computer service bureau operation) all tested, packaged and ready to go, after a few years of part-time dev investment. Then VFP3 was announced. Didn't take much to realize it's significance, it was clear writing on the wall as far as I was concerned. DOS was dead, and I had no real choice but to do the VFP re-write. I did think about doing both, but decided that would be too much for one person. So I dropped the FPD version and started the re-write, without giving the financials enough thought. Well, I'm still doing the re-write today! It's not just that VFP itself is so much more involved and time-consuming, but also that everything in the 'business picture environment', including the market and competition, wasn't standing still. And the effort/cost of preparing necessary documentation is significantly higher. Lessons learned: - in hindsight, from a financial point of view, I should have stuck with the DOS app and made some money off it while more slowly handling the re-write. It turned out that I had more time then I thought I did. Rubbing this in is that there are a couple of businesses still using the FPD version to this day, but I just can't bring myself to even think about going back into that code. - the "guy in a garage" with his DOS does-something-useful app did have a chance, but those days are over. VFP - or any other modern OOP DBMS dev system - really is just so much better that DOS apps just can't compete with them. This really hurts the guy in the garage because the added cost and complexities amount to an invisible 'barrier to entry'. Bill > Kevin Cully > CULLY Technologies, LLC _______________________________________________ Post Messages to: [email protected] Subscription Maintenance: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profox OT-free version of this list: http://leafe.com/mailman/listinfo/profoxtech ** All postings, unless explicitly stated otherwise, are the opinions of the author, and do not constitute legal or medical advice. This statement is added to the messages for those lawyers who are too stupid to see the obvious.
