Databases

[Bill Ballard]

At 6:29 PM -0800 1/7/00, David ilvedson wrote:
>What do you need in the program?  I read Bill Ballards post
>and have to admit I was a bit mind-boggled.  Really, a
>perfectly great system for contacting custmers and keeping
>up on appointments due is the old tickler method with a post
>card inserted in an upcoming months folder.

I couldn't agree more about paper systems being faster at simple
operations. Just like addressing an envelope by hand is always going to be
faster than booting up the 'puter, opening the file, selecting the record,
opening the form, sending the print order to the printer, and waiting while
the 80 or characters in the address make it through the printer's buffer
and out the print head. To schedule a repeat service, your tickler file
only needs three pieces of info: name, PN and month promised. After use the
card is either tossed or replaced by another card filled out by the
customer.

We all know that the size of CUS files in our business (typically, under
1000) falls far short of the size in which computer management of or
business becomes more efficient (tens of 1000s) or which are simply
impossible for human operation (100s of 1000s and upwards). Given this, an
inclination by some of us in this thread to ask more of a CUS file than
spit out mailing labels may seem an indulgence not justified by a clear
boost in productivity. I'll admit it. When I look at the things the
computer in my office does which could also be done by hand, the 'puter
seems more like a household pet. But when I see all the human-at-the-desk
jobs which I can train it to do, it seems an affront to me just to use it
for mailing labels (the equivalent of training this pet to roll over and go
burp). As for the time spent with my pet, it's far better spent here than
in some parts of the web which I've read about.

The Holy Grail of piano technicians business software? Something
universally acknowledged (as was the original Grail by King Arthur's
knights) has to be vanillafied, and will then resemble more a plastic
travel mug than a gleaming chalice. Business software works because it
copies our processes, the ways in which we work. Everybody has her or his
own way of running their own office. Successful business software works
successfully, the more closely it copies us, becomes an extension of us.
Which is why the people happiest with their business software are those who
have taken a scriptable, buildable database app, and simply trained it do
everything we do. Susan with MSWorks, Mark with Access, myself with Provue
Panorama. Anybody else want to chime in here?

>Oh yes, it's also in Beta for Windows 99.

I guess this blooper would have caught people's attention more at the
beginning of an 8K post rather than the end. But just in case, thanks for
being polite.

Bill Ballard, RPT
New Hampshire Chapter, PTG

"I go, two plus like, three is pretty much totally five. Whatever"
    ...........The new math