Post #77,987
1/29/03 10:35:34 PM
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Re: Generally it is safe to presume . . .
Andrew wrote:
Generally it is safe to presume they need at minimum the functionallity they are currently using on a daily basis.
Like Solitaire, for example.
Not to mention [link|http://www.softorchestra.com/pipermail/linux-consultants/2003-January/000164.html|embodying crucial business practices in Excel spreadsheet templates].
I get it! Never mind what the business needs to do, to earn a living. Let's just perpetuate whatever capabilities, foibles, and misfeatures their current software has, regardless of whether those are related to the job it should be doing. Quirk-for-quirk compatibility!
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
If you lived here, you'd be $HOME already.
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Post #77,998
1/29/03 11:19:08 PM
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It's the height of arrogance . .
. . to presume you know better the needs of a business than the person(s) who made that business successful. It's also the height of foolishness, 'cause your tenure will be real short.
If a company abuses spreadsheets, they're generally quite open to replacing them with something faster and safer - but if your "better" method doesn't provide the current functionality, you'll be politely reminded where to find the door.
Anyway, I can't recall any small businesses abusing spreadsheets for practically a decade - that's an entertainment for corporate boys. One of my more successfull clients (sales about $70,000 / day) is still quite happy with SuperCalc 3 DOS for all his spreadsheet needs. I installed that for him in 1988. Most of my clients don't use spreadsheets at all.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #78,005
1/29/03 11:45:03 PM
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Re: It's the height of arrogance . .
Andrew wrote:
It's the height of arrogance to presume you know better the needs of a business than the person(s) who made that business successful. It's also the height of foolishness, 'cause your tenure will be real short.
It's the height of online gamesmanship to stipulate that whoever's found to be running crucial business practices out of Excel spreadsheet templates is "the person who made that business successful". More likely, the business might be successful despite that person's efforts to shoot it in the foot.
If a company abuses spreadsheets, they're generally quite open to replacing them with something faster and safer - but if your "better" method doesn't provide the current functionality, you'll be politely reminded where to find the door.
Hey, don't forget to re-implement those Excel AutoOpen viruses, for example.
"Current functionality" often as not, upon examination, turns out to be a trick the secretary found in Excel for Frightfully Clever Persons that has not a lot do do with the job at hand. But I suppose uncritically copying-and-pasting to the sheet of requirements is easier than thinking.
Anyway, I can't recall any small businesses abusing spreadsheets for practically a decade - that's an entertainment for corporate boys.
It was, of course, an example of a broader pattern of customer missteps that alert consultants to business can and should watch for, rather than, for example, perpetuating them as you propose.
This is of course, why I found hysterically funny the claim of your cheerleader "tseliot" that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool status quo man.
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
If you lived here, you'd be $HOME already.
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Post #78,007
1/30/03 12:38:32 AM
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Your ability to descend into absurdity is truly amazing!
I take it this is a survival ploy similar to birds that fake a broken wing to distract predators away from their nest?
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #78,047
1/30/03 9:19:06 AM
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Ow....
That hurt... I felt/heard the thump HERE in Michigan...
Yeah, sure Rick gets under people's skin... but then again so do you sometimes Grygus... heck for that matter I get under people's skin...
I am guessing what really is the begging question here... If that customer of your understands his/her business... does that person really understand the faults aligned with hte current "Spreadsheet" solution? Would they be willing to re-address the solution... and perhaps find another tat fits better but doesn't *DO* it exactly that same way... but results are the same?
Both of you, on one hand, are good at cutting to the chase, on the other hand both of you two seem to be able to beat and chant around the proverbial "Burning Bush" rather well, hoping for rain...
| [link|mailto:curley95@attbi.com|greg] - Grand-Master Artist in IT | | [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry/|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] [link|http://pascal.rockford.com:8888/SSK@kQMsmc74S0Tw3KHQiRQmDem0gAIPAgM/edcurry/1//|ED'S GHOST SPEAKS!] | Heimatland Geheime Staatspolizei reminds:
These [link|http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/cyberstrategy-draft.html|Civilian General Orders], please memorize them.
"Questions" will be asked at safety checkpoints. |
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Post #78,112
1/30/03 3:39:59 PM
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Re: Ow....
That hurt... I felt/heard the thump HERE in Michigan...
Well, I didn't. It was just the expected descent into content-free verbal abuse. After all, It's Easier Than Thinking!<tm>
I am guessing what really is the begging question here... If that customer of your understands his/her business... does that person really understand the faults aligned with hte current "Spreadsheet" solution? Would they be willing to re-address the solution... and perhaps find another tat fits better but doesn't *DO* it exactly that same way... but results are the same?
Good question. I would say it's properly the job of an IT consultant to bring up exactly such questions (where appropriate), among others.
Rick Moen
rick@linuxmafia.com
If you lived here, you'd be $HOME already.
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Post #78,123
1/30/03 4:29:06 PM
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Simple Question
Name a good Linux accounting package I can get for less that $10 grand, which is the current investment in Great Plains (not my choice, I inherited it).
-drl
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Post #78,127
1/30/03 4:40:15 PM
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Remember to include
the price of setting it up (in time; time IS money) and training employees to use it.
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #78,128
1/30/03 4:42:53 PM
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ps. Of course
cost savings inherent in licensing differences, etc. should be included, too.
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #78,138
1/30/03 5:00:17 PM
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call Andrew and get his
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
"The Mafia was preferable to the state, because it survived by providing services people actually wanted"
Murray Rothbard
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Post #78,141
1/30/03 5:04:01 PM
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OK
This whole thing is now officially Boring As Shit.
Can we end it?
Peter
[link|http://www.debian.org|Shill For Hire]
[link|http://www.kuro5hin.org|There is no K5 Cabal]
[link|http://guildenstern.dyndns.org|Blog]
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Post #78,148
1/30/03 5:43:43 PM
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Sorry, Desit asked for replacement of Great Plains
and I have spoken to Andrew about his product for one of my customers in the past, it was just a straight reccomendation not persuant to the main discussion. Which appears to a a squeekfest.
thanx,
bill
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
"The Mafia was preferable to the state, because it survived by providing services people actually wanted"
Murray Rothbard
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Post #78,207
1/30/03 8:50:41 PM
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AppGen
[link|http://www.appgen.com/index.html|Appgen Business Software, Inc.]
Appgen\ufffd Custom Suite...
[link|http://www.appgen.com/products/appgen_custom_suite.html|Starting @~$995US] somewhere ~$4000US for all functionality and 25 users.
Appgen\ufffd MyBooks Professional
[link|http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooksprofessional.html|Starting @$249US] for 2 concurrent users. $799 for 10 users... scalable to Custom Suite with 100's of users...
Appgen\ufffd MyBooks
[link|http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooks.html|Starting @$99US] Single user small business wth limited needs.
[link|http://www.appgen.com/products/mybooks_pro_quickbooks.html|Comparison] of MyBooks Pro to Quickbooks and QB Value pack
| [link|mailto:curley95@attbi.com|greg] - Grand-Master Artist in IT | | [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry/|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] [link|http://pascal.rockford.com:8888/SSK@kQMsmc74S0Tw3KHQiRQmDem0gAIPAgM/edcurry/1//|ED'S GHOST SPEAKS!] | Heimatland Geheime Staatspolizei reminds:
These [link|http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/cyberstrategy-draft.html|Civilian General Orders], please memorize them.
"Questions" will be asked at safety checkpoints. |
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Post #78,225
1/30/03 10:01:04 PM
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Re: AppGen
Does it work? Bottom line.
What database options?
-drl
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Post #78,228
1/30/03 10:19:02 PM
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Yes... it does work.
Order the $7 CD and look at it. ($$$ Mainly for shipping 2nd Day FedEx) Well worth the $7.
Three customers have looked at it now, three are switching to it. Every companies accountants like it alot. Easy to use, easy to check (audit), easy to backup... There are options. It connect vis ODBC if you want therefore it should connect or work on any DB supporting it's requirements... (obviously MS-SQL isn't the DB of Choice).
I have looked at it on Windows95, Windows98, Windows2K, WindowsXP, Linux (three distros so far)...
It just worken so far...
| [link|mailto:curley95@attbi.com|greg] - Grand-Master Artist in IT | | [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry/|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] [link|http://pascal.rockford.com:8888/SSK@kQMsmc74S0Tw3KHQiRQmDem0gAIPAgM/edcurry/1//|ED'S GHOST SPEAKS!] | Heimatland Geheime Staatspolizei reminds:
These [link|http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/cyberstrategy-draft.html|Civilian General Orders], please memorize them.
"Questions" will be asked at safety checkpoints. |
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Post #78,232
1/30/03 10:21:57 PM
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Give the Gryg a call I am sure he would be willing to answer
any questions you may have. Go to his web site on the bottom of his posts and the contact info is there. He has used it successfully for many years with his clients.
thanx,
bill
will work for cash and other incentives [link|http://home.tampabay.rr.com/boxley/resume/Resume.html|skill set]
"The Mafia was preferable to the state, because it survived by providing services people actually wanted"
Murray Rothbard
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Post #78,244
1/30/03 11:12:46 PM
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Appgen Custom Suite . .
. . was not at all related to the MyBooks product (which was purchased). I'm sure Appgen has been working to bring them closer, but the transition phase between the two may not be entirely smooth.
Of course, unless you are quite big, or need extensive customization (even whole new modules can be written), you'd opt for the MyBooks product.
[link|http://www.aaxnet.com|AAx]
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Post #78,273
1/31/03 12:03:24 AM
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Yes... all three...
construction companies need the Job Costing Modules with BoM. They seem to all treat man-hours as inventory... depending on what they ARE doing they bill differently for hours or by the task. Also consumables are bil accordingly.
One company does straight insurance work, amazing they are busting out all over the place... I put in a Dual Athlon machine a while ago for them... they are in process to open whistle stop offices for the crews and also to allow claimants to "view", print, sign-off of quotes, billings, completions and such. Also be able to enter time-cards, print bills, accept payments and other such sundry. Biggey thing is, VPN to connect the LANs together. All going to be connected via 1.5Mb SDSL or better to the same DSL head-end making connections more reliable... at least in theory... 6 remote offices and one main...
Each end going to have a Firewall/VPN, afackup or amanda or even arkeia for backups... back to the main machine...
They have literally grown to be come the preferred contractor for 3 insurance companies in Western Middle Michigan... basically the outline is Lansing, Ludington, Lake Michigan and South Haven.
| [link|mailto:curley95@attbi.com|greg] - Grand-Master Artist in IT | | [link|http://www.iwethey.org/ed_curry/|REMEMBER ED CURRY!] [link|http://pascal.rockford.com:8888/SSK@kQMsmc74S0Tw3KHQiRQmDem0gAIPAgM/edcurry/1//|ED'S GHOST SPEAKS!] | Heimatland Geheime Staatspolizei reminds:
These [link|http://www.whitehouse.gov/pcipb/cyberstrategy-draft.html|Civilian General Orders], please memorize them.
"Questions" will be asked at safety checkpoints. |
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