Re: fourgen

Hal, I used FourGen for approximately two and a half years. I started my career working there, then I went on to work for a FourGen reseller. The case tools always worked for me. We were able to crank out a lot of code in relatively short periods of time. They really cut down on the _repetitve_ things you have to do as a programmer, and they let you get down to just programming the specifics of the application you are working on. I've never worked with FourGen consultants, because their consultants are a new concept. (replacements for the resellers as I understand it) I think you'll be OK as long as they don't send you some new person that will be learning right along side of you! Make sure the person they send can actually help you out. You mention you are concerned that you won't be able to write the program YOU want to write. I think that the case tools direct you to use a methodology that works. Informix is a powerful language, and if you just hack out a program by hand for the first time, its not going to be the best. With a case tool, it is not going to let you go too far out there. On the other hand, you can pretty much customize your code to whatever extent you want by the replaceability that the code generators provide. If you REALLY don't like the screens you see in the standard GL/AP/AR/OE/PU modules, (the way they work and come up), then you won't like what the case tools do, because it is the same. My only reservations about FourGen is that the case tools improve productivity but do not do everthing for you, there is still a lot of work to do for a complex application. Next, their products are far from perfect. You'll need to be ready to spend some time fixing bugs, whether FourGen helps you, or whether you fix them on your own. The case tools are relatively stable though, I'm speaking mostly of the software packages they sell (GL/AP/AR/OE/PU) modules. And last, I would be cautious that your hardware can support the Enterprise modules, they do take a lot of resources to run. Also, I would recommend that you get training in the tools before you do anything. I've found the people that have a good experience with the tools are the ones that know them the best. Pat Binkley Senior Consultant, Asix, Inc. Seattle, WA (206) 828-8022 pat.binkley@mccaw.com hal@teleport.com (Hal Cooper) wrote: >My company is getting ready to spend a lot of money on a distribution package >created by Fourgen in Seattle WA. Have you used Fourgen? How did you like >the case tools created by Fourgen? Were the Fourgen consultants good to >work with? What sucks about Fourgen? If you implemented it, how long >did it take you to do it? Did the Fourgen case tools help speed development? >I like to code in C. Will these case tools take away my power to make the >program do what I want? Thankyou very much for your opinions. > >-- >hal@teleport.COM Public Access User --- Not affiliated with Teleport >Public Access UNIX and Internet at (503) 220-1016 (2400-14400, N81)