StrongHold & Migrating to Windows
Deskin, Bob
Bob.Deskin@Cognos.COM
Thu, 18 Nov 2004 10:54:08 -0500
I want to comment on PowerHouse for Windows NT/2000/XP. PowerHouse has
been available on Windows for many years as a server to Axiant thin
client. In that regard, the user never saw the engine but rather the
Axiant GUI. QUIZ and QTP, however, were the same as the other server
platforms. What we did was to open up QUICK on Windows. The design
intent was to provide the same server-based experience on Windows as on
the other server platforms. It was never intended to give QUICK a
Windows GUI front end because we already had Axiant.
Our focus was also to existing customers, especially HPe3000 customers,
who were looking at cheaper hardware/software alternatives. The fact
that they now have a complete PowerHouse alternative gives them another
option. It also makes the migration process easier. They can move to
Windows without having to do a major re-training effort. They can then
decide whether they want to move to an Axiant GUI later.
Why later? Because full use of the Axiant GUI usually requires some
application redesign. While some disagree, I prefer to migrate and get
comfortable in the new environment and then make changes. The philosophy
is one migration at a time.
For the HPe3000 PowerHouse customer who chooses Windows, they can move
to Windows and only have to change the platform specific code. They
don't even have to change their IMAGE usage because we support
Eloquence. Once migrated, they can decide on a Windows GUI using Axiant,
or a relational database, or even PowerHouse Web. But they have moved
and have time to consider the options.
Bob Deskin
Senior Product Manager, Application Development Tools, Cognos Inc.
bob.deskin@cognos.com (613) 738-1338 ext 7268 FAX: (613) 727-1178
3755 Riverside Drive P.O. Box 9707 Stn. T, Ottawa ON K1G 4K9 CANADA
-----Original Message-----
From: powerh-l-admin@lists.sowder.com
[mailto:powerh-l-admin@lists.sowder.com] On Behalf Of Georgia Miller
Sent: November 17, 2004 5:46 PM
To: PowerHouse Listserv
Subject: Re: StrongHold & Migrating to Windows
Dear List,
I agree with Darren. The StrongHold post was extremely timely for me.
Our HP3000 platform is going away and we are planning to migrate to the
Windows Environment with SQL Server. We are in the process of deciding
what development tools we want to use on Windows. We have been a
PowerHouse shop for 25 years!
I just attended the COGNOS -Migrating Applications With Axiant 4GL
class in San Ramon, CA last week. It was very informative as in giving
us options for our migration. We went there to decide whether we want
to keep Powerhouse and run on either PowerHouse for Windows or Axiant in
the PC environment. Axiant does give you a great tool to migrate your
data from the MPEix environment to SQL Server. It will port your data,
dictionary, & Powerhouse Source for you. By the end of the 2-day class
I had one of my existing applications working in the Windows environment
in PowerHouse for Windows.
BUT, we were not very happy about the way that PowerHouse for Windows
works on the PC. In order to use the tool you have to use DOS commands.
I don't know DOS because before we had PC's we had Macintosh boxes. It
looks like they made Powerhouse work on the PC, but it looks like a rush
job. Learning DOS at this point in my career seems pointless!
PowerHouse for Windows actually runs in the DOS environment. Axiant has
all the graphical stuff but it will be a lot of work to port our
applications from PowerHouse to Axiant.
So our question is, Do we still want to use PowerHouse on the PC. Our 2
main Powerhouse programmers will be retiring within 3 years, 1 of which
is me. We are going to replace nearly every application we have with a
PC based boxed software application. Our Quiz, QTP & Quick code could
all move right across easily to the PC environment. But do we want to
go in that direction, when there are so many great tools out there for
the PC. Our skills in Powerhouse will be going away. We are based in
Montana and there are few people in Montana with Powerhouse programming
skills. Hiring someone in Great Falls, Montana with PowerHouse Skills
that would want to work for a low salary and want to stick around for
awhile is next to impossible. If we could convert our Powerhouse code
to another more well-known tool/language that is easier to learn than
PowerHouse, has lower maintenance costs, people in the community
actually have the knowledge to know how to use it, etc. we may be w!
ay ahead. If we were going to port our applications to Axiant it would
be learning another tool and be a lot of re-programming. And it seems
like Cognos does not seem very committed to supporting or enhancing
PowerHouse. Just seeing PowerHouse PC, shows that it was not intended
to be a product that was meant to be Sold to new users but just pacify
the existing users until they could do something better.
So when I got back to work on Monday, I started right away to look at
other options for us in the PC world, other than Powerhouse. I was
quite thrilled to see that there are products out there that will
convert PowerHouse Code to a more well known language, like Java. At
this point we don't know if we want to go to Java or will have that
need. But the information on StongHold, helps me greatly in my search
for what is out there, to accomplish our migration.
When I first heard the news that HP was discontinuing the HP3000 MPEix
world that I have worked in for the last 25 years and got the privilege
to enjoy for most of my career, I thought at first that I would just
retire. I can retire with 30 years in March 2005. Maybe it would be
best to leave the work of converting and learning all new PC stuff to
someone else. BUT learning new things that has to do with computers is
pretty exciting for me and I am quite young to retire, since I started
in this business when I was 16. So I've decided to stay for at least 3
more years and help my employer at least get a good start on this
conversion business.
Thanks Dennis, your post was very helpful and timely for me.
This list does not belong to Cognos, but to the Powerhouse user base.
In my case, as a Powerhouse user, I may need help moving away from
Powerhouse as this point in time. We may decide to keep Powerhouse and
use Axiant, but we may not. My job as an analyst is to investigate all
options and choose the one that works the best for our users and our
department.
Georgia Miller
Systems Analyst
Great Falls Public Schools
Great Falls, MT
On 11/17/2004 2:11 PM, Darren Reely <darren.reely@latticesemi.com>
wrote:
>Michael,
>
>Sure, it is both of those things. This list occasionally has
>discussions
>
>regarding moving away from Powerhouse, so I feel it is good information
>
>to have. The message was posted in the right place (a PH discussion
>
>list) and properly described in the body. Sure, the subject heading
>
>could have been better.
>
>If Dennis was to take the e-mail addresses from this list and send
>me
>unsolicited e-mail, like that other conversion company has, I'd be
>upset.
>
>Dennis, thanks for news. I now am aware of another possibility.
>
>Darren.
>
>Michael Lee wrote:
>
>> (I'm resubmitting this response as the first one was sent from
>a
>> different email address is being reviewed)
>>
>> With all due respect 'Dennis' (think of Seinfeld saying "Newman")
>this
>> advertisement is doubly insulting:
>> 1) It's an advertisement.
>> 2) It's about moving people OFF of Powerhouse. Hey-that's our job
>
>> you're trying to get rid of!
>>
>
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