NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #30/NN_1992_30.iso/spool/comp/database/informix/2758

Internet Message Format | 1992-12-21 | 5.1 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!emory!emory!not-for-mail
From: [e-mail] (Michael Gordon)
Newsgroups: comp.databases.informix
Subject: Comments on Insider.
Date: 18 Dec 1992 13:18:11 -0500
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>  From: [e-mail] (Stuart Hemming)
>  Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
>  Subject: An insider's view
>  Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 09:13:00 +0000
>  Reply-To: [e-mail]
>  Sender: [e-mail]
>
>
>  I recieved this message today from someone inside Informix. I've been
>  asked not to identify the individual but am posting the message with
>  permission.
>
>  -----------------------------
>
>  Hello,
>
>
>  I hear every day that we have the best 4GL on the market ! It seems
>  that our 4GL has a very big share of the Unix market. I don't hear
>  very much from the marketing department that there should be so many
>  missing features like popup menus, timer functions, improved input
>  and display array statements, better cursor handling ( by the way
>  ESQL/C has the same problem with cursor definitions. The only work-
>  around would be to use the level below. On the C-level you see that
>  cursors are structures. And there you can play with the address of
>  these structures. ) and many others as we saw in the emails.
>
>  And if these feature requests should be really justified - what is
>  the problem ?  As you already mentioned - is there something better
>  on the market ?  No - and people who come from Cobol or Assembler
>  are happy with the product. Forget the few ones who want to make
>  software with a screen handling which is state of the art. I would
>  say our 4GL is really a fourth generation language. And if there is
>  nothing which is much better - why should we spend money for
>  implementing all these features if we can sell it as it is ?
>
>  -------------------------------------
>
>  So there it is. Comments are now invited from the audience...
>
>  | I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way -- Jessica Rabbit     |
>  |------------------------------------------------------------|
>  | Stuart Hemming       | [e-mail]       |
>  | Tudor Labels Ltd     | uunet!cix.compulink.co.uk!shemminga |
>  | Roman Bank Bourne    | Tel :  [phone]             |
>  | Lincs PE10 9LQ. UK.  | Fax :  [phone]             |
>
>
>  Stuart


Comments:  Were we not hired as database programmers?  Are we not paid
to create and modify database programs to provide our customers with a
productive and efficient database management system?

Are we not knowledgeable enough to provide our customers with the product
they desire?  This I believe is the key point!

Informix, so far as I have seen, has a very wide range of products to enhance
the performance of our job as programmers, the key for us is to select the
most appropriate product for our customer, and then develop his/her application
according to their requirements.  If we are not knowledgeable enough to
overcome some of the application roadblocks then this medium
(Informix Network) can help us to overcome these obstacles.  However,
Informix, Inc. should also have a very active roll in providing assistance,
training, and development counseling for those of us who request this help.
Informix, Inc. should provide this type of programming assistance without
annual costs since it is the database management programmers which must make
the Informix products perform the required tasks.

If the database will not perform the tasks because of something the programmer
has overlooked, is not in the documentation, has not been covered in the
Official Informix Training Classes, or is a BUG in the system, then Informix
as a database tool and cooperation looks like so much wasted software sitting
in a dusty closet ignored for life.

In closing, Informix has a lot of very good products, maybe we just don't
have enough knowledge to use all the tools they have provided.

Not having knowledge is not being stupid, ignorant, or dumb.  Before we were
programmers we didn't KNOW programming.




                    Michael S. Gordon
                    Foreman, Gyroscope Section
                    Avionics Division

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