At Genesistems we have always been concerned about our
customers getting the most value for their dollar spent
– whether it be upgradeable, expandable PCs, Servers,
Telephone Systems or Software. In this issue I would
like to let you in on what is available or in testing
for your software. The next few issues of the newsletter
will cover these new features in more detail but let me
provide you with an overview.
Today lots of things are judged first by appearance,
then by functionality. Unfortunately that is human
nature. We want things to “Look Good”. In software that
is usually what we see on the screen or print, but even
with the best–designed graphical screen, the program
still has to balance the books behind the scene
correctly. We hear the term “Windows” or “Graphical”
interface. This is the “Look” of your software and has
nothing to do with the rules of your business. Behind it
are the business logic or rules, the output capabilities
(printing) and the Database/Data Management system. The
ones that affect you – the “Look” – or user interface
(how the screens look), the output or printing and the
database areas have made important advances in the last
few years.
The first major announcement is that the Graphical or
“Windows” interface is now in testing. Be sure to read
Jim Palladino’s article on it below and how it will work
with your existing software. In future issues we will
cover the KPRINT Graphical Forms generator, OPEN Data
Base Connectivity (ODBC) and the NOTES feature. If you
have an immediate need call me at 585–475–9180 x 212 and
we can talk over the future with you.
PS: If you have gotten an invoice from us recently – it
is generated by KPRINT all at once on blank paper – If
you haven’t seen one, call for a sample – No charge of
course!
Your
Genesistems software applications are currently
Text-Based applications. The software world today
features dynamic new applications that run windows based
applications (GUI) and offer a host of popular features.
Although this user interface is not always the best
environment for data entry, it has places where it has a
distinct advantage over Text-Based applications. TOM
Software will soon release the GUI version of FourD
(Version 4.0), where all your current applications will
convert seamlessly into the GUI environment, and yet
give each user the choice of whether they wish the GUI
or Text version for each function. While it took much
longer to develop this system (over 16 man years), the
primary requirement was to allow the thousands of
applications developed and customized over the years by
TOM’s network of application developers to convert
directly to the latest environment without extensive
redevelopment. In doing so, any custom applications made
to your software will not have to be re-developed in a
new environment.
To
the right are side by side comparisons of the same exact
input function running under a Text-Based environment
and a GUI environment. These two screens of an Accounts
Payable Vendor File maintenance Function are produced by
the same exact code working on the same data file. No
program changes had to be performed to make the function
on the bottom appear in graphical format, using the
original design shown in Text-Based format on the top.
We will offer more information on this exciting new
version in future issues.
