tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post8769229870988567436..comments2023-07-25T22:44:58.370-07:00Comments on Web based database software at Work: Marketing bullshit or looking for a silver bulletAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14947737950477226737noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post-89859685869359836092009-08-13T13:55:55.331-07:002009-08-13T13:55:55.331-07:00Marc: Well said.
WorkXpress does not look like E...Marc: Well said.<br /><br />WorkXpress does not look like Excel or Word or MS Access therefore you will need a little guidance (if you are familiar with the concept of a relational database it really is a very little guidance).<br /><br />Maybe it helped me that I had no programming experience because I did not go into this with any predetermined ideas on how it should work.<br /><br />Just to give you an idea of the time it took to create, we had a fully functioning system that runs our entire business in about 6 or 7 months and I was only working on it part time.<br /><br />I still work with it and add to the system constantly. I am always looking for ways to improve our business process and I also get a lot of user requests (Can it do this or that?). The system is so easy to use and make changes to that I only wish I had more time to work on it. My To-Do list grows faster than I can keep up with.<br /><br />TomUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02861687340260114106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post-40115431033800066852009-08-13T11:42:23.704-07:002009-08-13T11:42:23.704-07:00Dear Jane, I understand your frustration and what ...Dear Jane, I understand your frustration and what you, your friend, and many other users of PaaS systems experience. What you describe is what makes the adoption of PaaS a challenge, and makes it very slow. <br /><br />From my experience, your claims are both TRUE and FLAWED. I am a People-Driven Market Leadership and change management specialist, and a long time user of PaaS systems. <br /><br />Your claims are TRUE, because just like so many people trying to use PaaS to replace “hard coding,” including myself, the transition to these systems can be very frustrating. Our frustrating experiences then lead us to think that these PaaS providers’ claims are at best over statements, or pure marketing “puffery.”<br /><br />Your claims are also FLAWED, because like most of us, you are trying to evaluate and use these PaaS platforms coming from either a “hard coding” or an “MS Excel” perspective and mindset. Our mindset is what sets our expectations, user experience, and learning curve when using these platforms.<br /><br />The HARD CODING mindset leads us to discard the possibilities (and claims) of PaaS providers, because we believe we “know” everything it takes to architect, design, launch and operate an application. The truth is we know everything there is to know when using Hard Coding, but we don’t know and cannot see, understand and accept what it takes to build an application with a specific PaaS system.<br /><br />When coming from an MS EXCEL mindset, we wish that the PaaS will allow us to build complex applications in the same exact intuitive way than MS Excel does with Spreadsheets (...using only the basic functions of Excel, such as adding a couple of columns). NO PaaS system that I know gives you the capacity to build complex apps like you would put together a spreadsheet. <br /><br />THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF PaaS PROVIDERS is they create both their marketing messaging and technology adoption strategies (including the training of their new users) as if people were already coming from THEIR mindsets and philosophy. They don’t recognize that their audience is coming from a completely different mindset. <br /><br />This GAP in mindsets creates the steep learning curve that generates all the frustrations all of us are experiencing when using a new PaaS system (... it also generates our feeling of being mislead or even “unshamefully” lied to by PaaS providers)<br /><br />MY EXPERIENCE with PaaS providers and their systems is that most of their claims are true (...ONCE YOU ARE PASSED THE LEARNING CURVE and that you have THEIR mindset). <br /><br />The real problem is providers DON’T proactively manage and preemptively address the needed mindset change of their new users.<br /><br />REALITY CHECK<br />- Starting with NO knowledge of programming, it takes an individual 9 to 18 months of learning to be proficient at hard coding and to be able to build applications that the same person with no knowledge of programming could build after 2 to 8 weeks of learning using a PaaS<br />- When using a PaaS, you don’t have to hard code, test and maintain the back end of the application you are building, and you don’t have to hard code and test the different pre-programmed components and functionalities, because they are already part of the platform. <br /><br />There is a saying in application development that “once you have 90% of your app hard coded, you still have 90% of the work to do. This 90% refers to the back-end development and the app’s QA and fixing.<br /><br />CONCLUSION<br />PaaS systems are great and can save you time and money, as long as you come from the same mindset and philosophy than the provider you are using. Each PaaS comes from a different philosophy, which brings with it advantages and limitations. Each PaaS is best suited for a specific type of application, or a specific level of complexity of application.<br /><br />I am happy to answer any question you may have and to discuss my experience. You can contact me at coach@strategy-driven.comMarc Chouinardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06673212484685910780noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post-28949039362445168122009-08-13T01:17:10.624-07:002009-08-13T01:17:10.624-07:00Tom, I have no doubt you managed to accomplish wha...Tom, I have no doubt you managed to accomplish what you wanted within WorkXpress. Maybe thats my issue, but the good news is I've got time to clear up how it's done and with 3 years of experience as it is by you my impression will be quite different.Citizen Developerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134010068901805872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post-32747024965670513922009-08-12T13:24:19.406-07:002009-08-12T13:24:19.406-07:00Would Mr. Lertola use a hosted application from a ...Would Mr. Lertola use a hosted application from a company with the foreknowledge that said vendor was undercapitalized and had no inherent guarantee that future operations could be sustained. I am not commenting on WorkXpress' finances (I don't know), but I am wondering in general?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1489645468065669928.post-64036446968557165582009-08-12T12:54:49.887-07:002009-08-12T12:54:49.887-07:00I work for a small manufacturing company in NJ (SE...I work for a small manufacturing company in NJ (SERVOLIFT LLC)and 3 years ago we decided to improve our business by acquiring a company wide ERP system. We did quite a lot of research and found that WorkXpress met our needs. We needed an easily customizable system that was affordable. We did not have the budget to hire a programmer and train him on our business, so I chose to build it myself. I have to tell you we are extremely happy!<br /><br />It is simple to build what you need, drag and drop fields, make relationships, ... Reporting is a breeze too.<br /><br />I am not a programmer but I knew how our business works and exactly what I wanted our new system to do. I was able to build a complete system on my own, at night, that runs our entire business. The system really is fantastic and I can access it all on my Iphone (which I do every time I travel).<br /><br />Yes, there was a small amount of instruction that I needed to get going, but that was negligible compared to the time it took to build the system.<br /><br />WorkXpress delivered what they promised and more. Also, the support I received during development and continue to receive now is top quality. I would strongly recommend them to anyone in need of such a system.<br /><br />Tom Lertola<br />Servolift LLCUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02861687340260114106noreply@blogger.com