PH manuals, PH Web and PH for VMS (was colon and pattern matc hing)

Robert J.M. Edis robert.edis@creatcomp.com
Wed, 1 Mar 2000 14:42:38 -0500


G'day Bob

That doesn't work here on the HP/UX box.  The dictionary is loaded into
memory and has to be uninstalled when no users are using it.  I can replace
the schema.pdc file all day long if I like but it won't make a difference if
it's still in memory. :(

So, to install a new .pdc I have to coordinate with the system admin.  He
then waits for a quiet time or kicks everyone off to make one.  He then
removes the dictionary from memory and lets people log on again.  The first
use of the new .pdc file by any PowerHouse user automatically loads it into
memory.

This means that a dictionary change is usually an overnight job in
Production or a wait of a few hours (sometimes days) for dev. and test
environments.

Regards,

Blue

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Bushley (Burbank)
To: 'Robert J.M. Edis'
Sent: 3/1/00 11:48 AM
Subject: RE: PH manuals, PH Web and PH for VMS (was colon and pattern matc
hing)

First of all, you don't need to kick off all the users. Name the
dictionary
to a temporary name, then when the old dictionary isn't being used
rename
the new dictionary to the permanent name.

	----------
	From:  Robert J.M. Edis [SMTP:robert.edis@creatcomp.com]
	Sent:  Wednesday, March 01, 2000 7:45 AM
	To:  'powerh-l@list.swau.edu'
	Subject:  RE: PH manuals, PH Web and PH for VMS (was colon and
pattern matc hing)

	G'day Chris

	I like the manuals on CD (other than the fact I DON'T like
Acrobat
Reader
	much).  As a consultant I move around a lot and a CD is lot
easier
to carry
	than a set of manuals.  Most clients I have been to can't find
their
manuals
	or their IT dept. has them locked away somewhere remote!  I have
used the CD
	to install the 'books' on my laptop so I read them directly from
the
HDD.
	Why not request your boss provide you with a laptop?

	I was told at the CIUG conference in Orlando last Sept. that the
VMS
	specific syntax would be replaced in PH 8.30 sans the
interactive
dictionary
	though.  It was indicated the 8.3 might be released later this
year.


	Bob: If we can't have the old interactive PHD can we at least
get
Cognos to
	modify BI Architect to 'understand' and create/update PDL files?
Having a
	nice GUI PDL editor with full syntax checking would be a
compromise
although
	I for one don't like having to recompile the pdc file, kick all
users off,
	unload the old one from memory, and then install the new PHD as
I
have to
	under HP/UX. :(

	I know of several PH sites that got the PH web eval without the
bagage and
	therefore the cost.  I understand that the per seat cost on an
NT
box is not
	unreasonable compared with similar enterprise products, at least
in
the USA.

	Regards,

	Blue



	-----Original Message-----
	From: Chris Sharman
	To: Bob.Deskin@Cognos.COM
	Cc: Chris.Sharman@ccagroup.co.uk; powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
	Sent: 3/1/00 7:59 AM
	Subject: RE: colon and pattern matching


	>1) The manuals are available on paper for the cost of printing.
Putting
	the
	>manuals on CD with a proper search was a majority request by
our
	customers.

	I don't have any objection to CD manuals with a 'proper' search,
	whatever that
	is: like I say, they're of dubious readability on VMS.

	What I object to is CD *instead* of a proper paper manual:
printing
my
	own copy
	will, for most of us, typically result in a large pile of
unbound,
	unindexed,
	un-duplexed A4/letter paper, which is not very easy to handle or
refer
	to.
	I've got 6 manuals at present, of 5-700 pages each.

	>The vast majority that I have heard from are happy with what
we've
	done.

	Who's happy (at the dropping of paper, rather than the addition
of
CD) ?
	Does it save us money ? No-one's reduced my support contract
price.

	>2) We are fully aware that PH version 8 does not have all of
the
	OpenVMS
	>specific features available in 7.10. We have explained why that
	happened.
	>Whether any of us agree with the decisions or not is moot -
it's a
done
	>deal. Looking forward, we plan to put the OpenVMS specific
features
	back in.
	>We are well aware that our customers can't move to the series 8
level
	until
	>that's done as well as ensuring a smooth upgrade path.

	So what's the timescale ? This is quite an old issue, and I'm
still
	unaware of
	any timescales. I get the impression (old cynic that I am) that
Cognos
	hopes
	we'll eventually give up complaining and allow them to forget
about
it
	altogether.

	>3) We can debate the pricing of PH Web until the cows come
home.
This
	is
	>something for you and your local office. However, I don't
understand
	why an
	>evaluation version was not available. I will be checking into
this.

	They "prefer to put together a pilot project with consultancy"
etc
etc.
	They
	appear to want to make around 10k uk pounds from our evaluation,
never
	mind the
	actual licence. There's a lot of other products which I can (&
will)
	evaluate
	for far less, so I'll obviously only be back to Cognos if
they're
all
	unserviceable. Is this what you want ?

	Chris
	
_______________________________________________________________________
	Chris.Sharman@CCAgroup.co.uk
http://www.ccastat.demon.co.uk/
	CCA Stationery Ltd, Eastway, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2
9WS.
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