IMPORTANT – Date issue with all versions of OpenInsight

Over the last couple of days we have had a couple of support issues raised with regards to dates and in particular dates when selecting data from OpenInsight based systems. Research has shown that this is actually a potential issue that dates back to the early ARev days and it is only now biting a few people.

If you find that you are getting strange select results, please check out the Sprezzatura blog posting below. Even if you are not having any date or select related issues, this is well worth a read if you are an OpenInsight developer or involved with an OpenInsight system in any way.

Y2K Redux – Indexing Issues With Dates OR 20100 – A Search Oddity.

Another legacy Rev based system modernises

More and more people running old ARev and early OpenInsight based systems are seeing the benefits and needs of modernising their systems.  Not only does this future proof these systems going forward, but it often enables developers to better and more easily integrate with more modern hardware.  This reduces the risk of trying to find replacement units or parts for obsolete equipment or sourcing unsupported hardware and software.

SRP Computer Solutions have recently helped one of their clients to modernise by embracing thin client technologies, with USB wedge barcode scanners and one of their connection controls.

Click here to read the full article that SRP have recently published on the project.

XP Support (to clarify my earlier posting)

Ahh – A hornet’s nest I see before me!!   Let’s give it a poke <g>.

This posting is in response to the valid comments posted to my blog posting entitled “Windows XP Support” and to clarify the reasons for that posting a little more.

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Guys, you are of course correct and I knew that posting this direct from the official Revelation newsletter would provoke some clarification, and for that I am grateful.  However, the key question in this posting was whether your clients are aware of the issues?  At the risk of offending anyone, that point appears to have been missed by those of you commenting thus far.

This blog is read by both developers and users alike.  I think that all Revelation developers know the issues, risks and workarounds for ARev running on modern operating systems but the same is not necessarily true for end users.  Those organisations that have Revelation professionals on staff are relatively OK – so long as those Revelation professionals take control of the IT decision making process and actively avoid the potential issues befalling a lot of ARev systems right now.  I assume that you have put your necks on the block and taken ownership of your systems in such a way.

For those of you who do not wish to fall on your swords –

1. How have you protected your clients against the potential and growing issues of running RevG and ARev on modern operating systems?
2. How have you legislated against the Managing Director or another key decision maker deciding to purchase a wiz bang new 64-bit workstation?  Does he or she, really want to mess around with virtual machines, dual operating systems and the like – I don’t.
3. How do you plan to support your ARev system for a sales team whose manager invests in the latest piece of technology to revolutionise his department, which demands 64-bit processing power and on which they blow next year’s budget on 64-bit machines.
4. I could go on all day….

We cannot always take full control of our customers and demand what they will or will not use.  Often, sticking with legacy technologies will result in a loss of business because the legacy DOS system will be seen as the odd one out and the one causing the issue.

Could your business afford to lose your ARev system or your biggest client?  The Managing Director is never going to admit that buying a new 64-bit machine was his mistake.  The inevitable conversation is going to result in the ARev developer having made the mistake in not preparing for the inevitable move to a more modern technology.  Likewise for that sales manager who has big plans to modernise his sales team.

Failure to keep up with the times in IT often displays a lack of interest in the technology that has been written, a potential lack of interest in the developer’s client or their business in general and a perceived lack of willingness to keep up with the times and to invest in the future.  I know that this is not necessarily true and that many people love their old ARev systems and “if it isn’t not broke, don’t fix it”, but you can’t get away from the fact that things are only going to get harder.

Personally, I’m quite happy for people to carry on with their ARev systems.  It means that we can take each conversion project as they come along in dribs and drabs, rather than all at once.  As a salesman, it is also nice to have clients panicking (actually, I’m in two minds on that one) and opening cheque books with blank cheques because they are forced into doing something today because they need to work tomorrow.

This is a personal blog that consists of my views only and not necessarily those of Revelation Software.  However, I make no apology for using the official wording.  If I can encourage just one end user to think about the future of their ARev based system and to make a calculated decision in their own time, rather than a hurried, panicked and rushed decision, then my work is done and I will personally sleep more soundly.

I have tried to, and I believe that I have, given people good advice over the last 17 years.  My advice on this subject is to heed the warnings, modernise and make provision for your legacy RevG and ARev systems today.  Leaving it until tomorrow is inevitably going to result in a loss of business in one shape or another.  Maybe it’ll just be that next new sale as you are not GUI or can’t interface to something seamlessly, maybe it will be the loss of a key client to a competitor, or maybe (just maybe) it could sound the death bell for your business and your retirement fund.

Please, please , please if you are still using ARev please look beyond the technology and what you can ‘manage’ to make it run on – Think ahead of tomorrow and put a proper plan in place for your clients to safeguard their future and your own.  FWIW, we are seeing another increase in the number of conversions to ARev32, so more and more people are realising the growing risks and making provision for the future.

Please note that these are my personal comments and that they do not officially represent those of Revelation Software USA, Revelation Software UK or any other official Revelation channel.

Windows XP Support

I am sure that you will not have failed to notice that Microsoft will be ending support for XP from April 8th, 2014.  However, do your clients know and have they made provision for their ARev systems? 

For those of you who have been working too hard to pick up this small snippet of news, the keys details are:

After April 8, 2014, technical assistance for Windows XP will no longer be available, including automatic updates that help protect your PC.  If you continue to use Windows XP, your computer might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.

An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update.  These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information.  Windows Update also installs the latest software updates to improve the reliability of Windows—new drivers for your hardware and more.

Advanced Revelation will not run on workstations installed with Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8.  If you are running an application built with Advanced Revelation we strongly suggest that you consider upgrading to OpenInsight using Arev32.

Are you running any Arev 3.12 or prior system?

If you are running any ARev3.12 or prior systems (so anything pre OI or Arev32) you need to contact me ASAP.  A recent XP update ‘could’ render your system suddently inoperable.

Running ARev – Don’t get get caught short on time!!!

With Microsoft having now withdrawn support for Windows XP and more and more workstations being purchased with windows 7, we are seeing ARev users frantically trying to make the next move to keep their systems running on these new operating systems.  Whilst some people fight to find workarounds, others are hastily looking at shortened ARev32 conversion projects.

Don’t get caught out and find yourself explaining why you have not made the move to ARev32 or made alternative provision for the future.  Give me a call or drop me an email to discuss the future of your ARev system before time is against you.

ARev32 / OI Hybrid Demo

Advanced Revelation (ARev) users often ask me what ARev32 provides them with. The short answer is a future proofed system in a world where DOS applications are feeling their age and running into problems. A move to ARev32 brings you into the 32-bit Windows world of OpenInsight, and shortly the 64-bit world.

Whilst a straight conversion leaves you with an ARev32 window that looks and feel just like it does under traditional ARev, an extended conversion can take you ‘a lot’ further.

My new ARev32 demo video (hosted on my YouTube RevSoftUK Channel) takes a quick look at ARev 3.12’s converted SAMPLES application and how it can be run within an OpenInsight MDI frame and then how you can mix GUI and ARev32 windows, including sending information between one and another.

It also takes a look at how ARev32 users can extend the flexibility of the ARev32 system by displaying two or more ARev application screens in their own ARev32 windows – effectively having a Customer screen open with a record and another for the Products record.

Click here to review the ARev32 Demo Video.