Migrating to Windows

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 16:18:15 -0500

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There appears to be some open dialogue occurring on this subject and
since CORE has been mentioned in a posting, I thought some discussion
from CORE Migration would be appropriate. I hope this does not generate
any *flames*, does not come over like advertising and that you are able
to read this with an open mind. I, like Bob, am also biased, towards the
CORE solution, but I will try to be as objective as I can. We have
completed many successful migration projects over the years to Java,
.NET, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. We have solid reference sites in
production and customers who are re-selling their newly migrated
solutions to markets throughout the world.

For those of you who do not know me, I have worked with PowerHouse most
of my career (17 years), In fact, as Michael Lee pointed out in a much,
much earlier post, I started my career at Cognos on the PowerHouse
Support Desk. I fielded thousands of calls on the HP3000 and Unix
platform. I learned from masters like Nigel, Howard, Basil, Jim, Brett
and Peter and others who are still at Cognos to this day. After my
Cognos days, I spent many years as a PowerHouse consultant working on
dozens of PowerHouse implementations. After that, I moved to the Cognos
BI tools (PowerPlay and Impromptu, great products btw), and finally to
my current position as CTO for CORE Migration. I have personally been
involved in every migration project CORE has ever undertaken over the
past 8 years. I believe that I can certainly add value to this subject.

Is PowerHouse a good product? You bet it is! In fact, I think it is a
GREAT product! I don't know of a single product on the planet that could
allow you to build systems as quickly and more efficiently as we did
with PowerHouse. Unfortunately, as you can all agree, things change and
the march of progress is unstoppable. Cognos has moved along to the more
popular (and profitable) desktop tools. Why? Because of the BOTTOM line
and the return on investment to the shareholder. Back in the early
nineties, Cognos shifted its focus from ADT tools to the BI tools. Since
this shift in focus (a mere dozen years), Cognos changed from a
multi-million dollar company to becoming one of Canada's leading
software development companies generating revenues in excess of $683,117
M  (FY2004) . The lions share of this revenue has been generated by the
"BI" tools and it is these tools that that has driven Cognos to the
height it has achieved. Well done Cognos!!

I agree with many members on this list that moving to a 3GL
exponentially increases the amount and volume of code when re-writing
business systems with these languages. Just as Cognos marketed in the
80's that 1 line of PowerHouse Code = 20 Lines of COBOL code, we have
gone back the other way (1 Line of PowerHouse Code = 20 lines of Java
code). I've seen many companies attempt to "re-write" the PowerHouse
business system in both Java and .NET and more often than not they all
end up trying to solve the same problems.how to connect to a database,
read and update the database, perform in-field validation in a stateless
web environment, etc, etc. Eventually, through re-factoring exercises,
they usually end up building a framework to support all the common
things that are necessary to build a business application before they
even begin to create the business forms/process necessary by the system.

In my opinion, the Java and .NET  programming languages have and will
continue to become the predominant programming languages being used by
most of the large IT departments (read: Fortune 500).  This is not an
endorsement of these products, but simply a recognition of market
trends. If you look at the curriculum of Computer Science/Information
Technology programs offered by Universities and Colleges today, you will
find a healthy offering of Object Oriented Design, Java and .NET
courses. This is what the "next" generation is being taught.
Unfortunately, I believe we (as an IT industry) have taken a step
backwards from the productivity obtained from 4GL programming languages
like PowerHouse, Progress and Speedware (to name a few).

As the business continues to evolve, those IT Managers running legacy
business system developed in 4GL programming languages are being
questioned by newly appointed CIO's, CFO's, Managers and technical
staff, Often, they (the new guard) do not know of these development
tools/languages and their use becomes suspect as a potential for change.
Ask any IT person outside the PowerHouse community if they know Cognos
PowerHouse, and more often than not you will get a blank stare. That is
not to say PowerHouse and other 4GL languages aren't great tools, just
that they are a lot less known in the world today.

I strongly believe that the CORE solution plugs a gap between the 4GL
and 3GL worlds. Our products are based on a solid framework and a
dictionary from which to build business applications in Java and .NET. I
believe that our tools embody the same philosophies as the 4GL
programming languages of the 80's and 90's, that is, better productivity
and reduced maintenance. Our products "plug" into Visual Studio .NET
and various Java environments and  strive to achieve the  same
productivity levels achieved with a 4GL programming language. In fact,
with our framework, we have achieved a near 1 to 1 relationship between
the PowerHouse code and newly generated .NET/Java code. PowerHouse
programmers become productive with our tools/framework because they
follow the same philosophy, they allow you to focus on the required
business functionality and not the underlying "plumbing" code required
to get the job done. As a result, the framework coupled with the
dictionary concept from 4GL's reduces the overall amount of code
required to be "touched" by the programmer, thereby increasing
productivity and lowering the costs to maintain the system moving
forward.

As the years go on, it is inevitable that 4GL programming languages such
as PowerHouse will continue to be replaced by the more current
technologies. It is up to us as IT professionals to make sure that as we
move our organizations forward, that we make sure that we continue to
provide the value we have in the past, that is delivering quality,
flexible and maintainable IT business services to our end-user
community. 

Regards,

Garry Whitworth
CORE Migration

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<blockquote =
style=3D'margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>

There appears to be some open dialogue occurring on =
this
subject&nbsp;and since CORE has been mentioned in a posting, I thought =
some
discussion from CORE Migration would be appropriate. I hope this does =
not
generate any *flames*,&nbsp;does
not come over like advertising and that you are able to read this with =
an open
mind. I, like Bob, am also biased, towards the CORE solution, but I will =
try to
be as objective as I can. We have completed many successful migration =
projects
over the years to Java, .NET, Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server. We have =
solid
reference sites in production and customers who are re-selling their =
newly
migrated solutions to markets throughout the =
world.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

For those of you who do not know me, I have worked =
with
PowerHouse most of my career (17 years), In fact, as Michael Lee pointed =
out in
a much, much earlier post, I started my career at Cognos on the =
PowerHouse
Support Desk. I fielded thousands of calls on the HP3000 and Unix
platform. I learned from masters like Nigel, Howard, Basil, Jim, Brett =
and
Peter and others who are still at Cognos to this day. After my Cognos =
days, I
spent many years as a PowerHouse consultant working on dozens of =
PowerHouse
implementations. After that, I moved to the Cognos BI tools (PowerPlay =
and
Impromptu, great products btw), and finally to my current position as =
CTO for
CORE Migration. I have personally been involved in every migration =
project CORE
has ever undertaken over the past 8 years. I believe that I can =
certainly add
value to this subject.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

Is PowerHouse a good product? You bet it is! In fact, =
I
think it is a GREAT product! I don&#8217;t know of a single product on =
the
planet that could allow you to build systems as quickly and more =
efficiently as
we did with PowerHouse. Unfortunately, as you can all agree,&nbsp;things =
change
and the march of progress is unstoppable.&nbsp;Cognos has moved along to =
the
more popular (and profitable) desktop tools. Why? Because of
the BOTTOM line and the return on investment to the =
shareholder.&nbsp;Back
in the early nineties, Cognos shifted its focus from ADT tools to the BI =
tools.
Since this shift in focus (a mere dozen years), Cognos changed from a
multi-million dollar company to becoming one of Canada&#8217;s leading =
software
development companies generating revenues in excess of =
$683,117&n=
bsp;M&nbsp; (FY2004) . The lions
share of this revenue has been generated by the &#8220;BI&#8221; tools =
and it
is these tools that that has driven Cognos to the height it has =
achieved. Well
done Cognos!!<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

I agree with many members on this list that moving to =
a 3GL
exponentially increases the amount and volume of code when re-writing =
business
systems with these languages. Just as Cognos marketed in the 80&#8217;s =
that 1
line of PowerHouse Code =3D 20 Lines of COBOL code, we have gone back =
the other
way (1 Line of PowerHouse Code =3D 20 lines of Java code). I&#8217;ve =
seen many
companies attempt to &#8220;re-write&#8221; the PowerHouse business =
system in
both Java and .NET and more often than not they all end up trying to =
solve the
same problems&#8230;how to connect to a database, read and update the =
database,
perform in-field validation in a stateless web environment, etc, etc.
Eventually, through re-factoring exercises, they usually end up building =
a
framework to support all the common things that are necessary to build a
business application before they even begin to create the business
forms/process necessary by the system.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

In my opinion, the Java and .NET&nbsp; programming languages have and =
will
continue to become the predominant programming languages being used by =
most of
the large IT departments (read: Fortune 500).&nbsp;&nbsp;This is not an
endorsement of these products, but simply a =
recognition
of market trends.&nbsp;If you look at the curriculum of Computer
Science/Information Technology programs offered by Universities and =
Colleges
today, you will find a healthy offering of Object Oriented Design, Java =
and
.NET courses. This is what the &#8220;next&#8221; generation is being =
taught.
Unfortunately, I believe we (as an IT industry) have taken a step =
backwards
from the productivity obtained from 4GL programming languages like =
PowerHouse,
Progress and Speedware (to name a few).<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

As the business continues to evolve, those IT =
Managers
running legacy business system developed in 4GL programming languages =
are being
questioned by newly appointed CIO&#8217;s, CFO&#8217;s, Managers and =
technical staff,
Often, they (the new guard) do not know of these development =
tools/languages
and their use becomes suspect as a potential for change. Ask any IT =
person
outside the PowerHouse community if they know Cognos PowerHouse, and =
more often
than not you will get a blank stare. That is not to say PowerHouse and =
other
4GL languages aren&#8217;t great tools, just =
that they
are a lot less known in the world today.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

I strongly believe that the CORE solution plugs a gap
between the 4GL and 3GL worlds. Our products are based on a solid =
framework and
a dictionary from which to build business applications in Java and .NET. =
I
believe that our tools embody the same philosophies as the 4GL =
programming
languages of the 80&#8217;s and 90&#8217;s, that is, better productivity =
and
reduced maintenance. Our products &#8220;plug&#8221; into Visual Studio =
.NET&nbsp; =
and various
Java environments and&nbsp;&nbsp;strive to achieve the&nbsp;&nbsp;same
productivity levels achieved with a 4GL programming language. In fact, =
with our
framework, we have achieved a near 1 to 1 relationship between the =
PowerHouse
code and newly generated .NET/Java code. PowerHouse programmers become
productive with our tools/framework because they follow the same =
philosophy,
they allow you to focus on the required business functionality and not =
the
underlying &#8220;plumbing&#8221; code required to get the job done. As =
a
result, the framework coupled with the dictionary concept from =
4GL&#8217;s
reduces the overall amount of code required to be &#8220;touched&#8221; =
by the
programmer, thereby increasing productivity and lowering the costs to =
maintain
the system moving forward.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

As the years go on, it is inevitable that 4GL =
programming
languages such as PowerHouse will continue to be replaced by the more =
current
technologies. It is up to us as IT professionals to make sure that as we =
move
our organizations forward, that we make sure that we continue to provide =
the
value we have in the past, that is delivering quality, flexible and
maintainable IT business services to our end-user =
community.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'>&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Garry Whitworth<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>CORE Migration<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D2 face=3DArial><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D3 face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></font></p>

</blockquote>

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