Re: In defense of the lowly MR

James W. Kilgore wrote:

>John Earl wrote:
>> 
>> Jim,
>> 
>> At 08:50 AM 6/5/97 -0700, you wrote:
>> > "Real-time" is a perception of data presentation, not necessarily of data 
>retainage..
>> 
>> The problem is; you (we) are no longer the sole arbiter of data
>> presentation.  Data users now have query tools, ODBC, file transfer, etc..
>> The data you once gaurded so jealously can now be strewn across a far-flung
>> network of disparate systems where your presentation techniques are not
>> acknowledged.  No, the database has to contain the whole "truth", and not
>> rely on clever programming in order to be interpretted correctly..
>
>Maybe I'm living with different people than you or others in this list
>are with. :)
>
>It's just been my experience that these are not issues to contend with. 
>If a user wants data off the 400 they ask which file to get, we tell
>them.  We may even set up logicals to make it easier.   We don't have
>users accessing information without prior knowledge or consent.  We
>"jealously guard" our files more for security than anything else.  Heck
>as far as I'm concerned any user can have whatever data they are
>authorized to get.  We'll even help them get the data.  But to have a
>user browse around the system and grab whatever suits there fancy? I
>don't think soooooo.  I guess it all depends on the shop rules..

This sounds exactly like what we do.  The problem that I think is being batted
about is not whether users have free access to the database, but whether the
data can be interpreted on it's own merit, with simple query type tools.

A "for instance" is having fields like TAX1, TAX2, TAX3 (Fed, State, Local) 
which
are populated with the tax dollars for sales region 1 (US) and populated with
tax percentages for sales region 2 (UK).  Without a program to interpret this
mess, a simple query won't be able to answer "How much tax money did we
collect?"  In a brand new database, you're not likely to run into this stuff, 
but
wierd things happen in legacy databases...

Buck Calabro
Commsoft
mcalabro@commsoft.net

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