Re: What after Year2000

Jim,

In a message dated 97-06-20 20:15:29 EDT, you write:

> I've recently resubscribed to the list after a 6 month absence and this 
>  conversation was going when I left.  
>  
>  I don't understand why GUI and Client Server and AS/400 are mutually 
>  exclusive.  The AS/400(particularly PPC boxes) seem to me to be a great 
>  backend for a GUI client.  
>  
>  As for why someone doing order entry need a PC...well if someone hasn't 
>  ported lynx to the AS/400 they should(use it to check on packages 
>  regularly from a Unix box) and and as for art work I'm not clear what 
>  order entry staff would be doing with that sort of thing.

Good to have you back!  Where did you go?

The point I'm trying to make is that GUI for the sake of GUI is needless.
 GUI DOES have its uses.  We have touch-screens running VB applications on
the shop floor to report production data to the AS/400 application.  This
particular GUI implementation has several reasons for being:  1) The PC's are
sealed and have no vented monitor, thus they not susceptible to the lint
generated by the line machines; 2) Most processes operate at such a rapid
rate that keyboard usage is out of the question; 3) Many of our operators
cannot read, so icons and numeric representations reduce training time.

Order entry clerks and accountants (who we will assume are somewhat literate
and living in climate-controlled environments) DO NOT require GUI to get
their jobs done.  Unfortunately, Finance and Sales are the departments that
usually drive a computer purchase -- anyone still wonder why these are the
first applications usually made graphical by the major software vendors?

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@AOL.COM

"Hospitality is making your guests feel at home, even though you wish they
were." -- Anonymous
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