| My name is Bob Bibeault and I am a systems consultant with the
Corporate Financial Strategies group in Acton, Mass. (Nagog).
One of my early responsibilities was as Product Manager for
Ross Accounts Receivable. One of my more recent tasks was evaluating
alternative 4GL tools available to Digital internal users. This
included all Digital products, DEC home grown tools like GENiSYS
and all third-party products for which Digital has worldwide,
unlimited-use licenses.
Although my study is not yet published, the KNOWLEDGE is there
and from my perspective, the Cognos POWERHOUSE product is the best
all-round 4GL available to internal VAX users today BAR NONE. The
Focus product rates very well but has more depth than breadth
(i.e., it does fewer things but provides more features within
the scope of what it does).
I have built an active data dictionary and some sample screens,
reports and transaction processing routines using Powerhouse
for Ross Accounts Receivable (Version 4.0). With this shell, not
only can users have on-line documentation using dictionary reporting
tools but can extend and/or modify the application EASILY without
modifying vendor source code. (If you want the dictionary, source
code, etc., it is available to Digital personnel for the asking...).
I strongly recommend Powerhouse for this type of task and base my
opinion on thorough research and PROVEN RESULTS - not "political"
decisions.
While Focus CAN read & write Ross files, it contains NO true data
dictionary (just master file descriptions which are almost useless
from a data management and documentation standpoint), little on-line
help or other documentation and cannot be compiled.
If I were bidding on a fixed-priced contract to deliver what this
customer wanted, I'd choose Powerhouse because it will allow me to
deliver a higher quality end product than is even possible with
Focus and it would be deliverable in less time and at lower cost
than is possible with Focus.
The main advantage with Focus is compatibility with the IBM environ-
ment. That also, is a major reason for its limitations...
If you have any questions or want further info, please feel free to
contact me. You may also feel free to contact Holly Stanton, Digital
Account Manager, Cognos USA, 2 Corporate Place, Peabody, Ma. 01960.
(508) 535-7350.
Regards,
Bob Bibeault
Corporate Financial Strategies
AKO1-3/N3
DTN 244-6136
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