Alan Yeo writes:

>I still don't believe in the end its any quicker to develop mission
>critical applications in P/J/J rather than I/C/V. Quicker maybe to dash
>something off. But by the time you build a real multi user mission
>critical application, with logging, recovery etc. I think I'd still put
>my money on a fully tooled up Image/Cobol team any day. And as for
>support and ongoing maintainability.

Oddly enough, DBMSs other than IMAGE have logging and recovery.

The use of powerful tools doesn't mean that you can get away with bad
design, and as I've said before, good design is as scarce as it ever was.

A power saw doesn't obviate the need for an architect. But if we're both
equally skilled carpenters, and I'm following the plans for a
well-designed house using power tools and you're following the plans
using hand tools, I'm going to finish before you do. And because we were
both following a good plan, my house will stand up just as long as yours.
My quality might even be better than yours, because the tools make it
easier to be consistent.

>And with tools like ScreenJet available for the 3000 now even the
>Image/Cobol people can create flashy GUI screens for their apps in the
>same time as anyone else.

"Flashy GUI screens" -- when well-designed, which is usually not the case
-- result in greater user productivity and reduced fatigue.

-- Bruce


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