Following a lengthy (but enjoyable) session yesterday and last night (this morning) I believe I have this one cracked now.

I have used a simple method of sharing recently amended data between computers, such as may be needed (for example) after working from a laptop at a job site, and then updating a central computer back at base. It uses a straightforward .zip file named DataPack.zip that can be swapped between computers as an email attachment, on a memory stick, etc.

It sounds simple. But (as with all such things) it still took a while to implement, especially as we're talking about a lot of datafiles (in various directories), some of which are logical candidates for inclusion, whilst others are not. Automatically marking all amended records from selected datafiles, and gathering them into a single .zip file (and "unpacking" it all successfully at the receiving end) was great fun, naturally.

From avant-projet to Beta (?)

There is a software development strategy known as "Release Early, Release Often". Using this technique, developers release new (usually unstable and buggy*) revisions of their stuff as free downloads, counting on feedback from customers to provide Quality Assurance. A well known example of this was the development of the (now defunct) Netscape Navigator web browser.

Although the pressure to release new features quickly and grab "mind share" ahead of your competitors may have disastrous effects on software quality, it has resulted in an unprecedented rapid pace of innovation in general. Also, if you waited until your software was "perfect", no-one (but yourself) would ever see it!

So, incremental development it has to be!

Or, put another way ... Version 3 is usually the one to go for.

* Oh, yes!

Can't see the wood for the trees...

Whenever I release software, I am amazed at the bugs found.

Simply because the project is viewed from someone else's perspective, I guess.

Yes, yes.

It's not so easy these days to force users (many and various, hopefully) to follow the same "logical paths" that you (the developer) would naturally follow. That's when things get tripped up, in my experience.

In short, users often do what appear to be daft things. As in, "why would anyone want to do that, I wonder"?

Needless to say, sequencies of data input (for example) was easier to enforce in the Good Old Days (that is, of DOS).

Ok, who got some new graphics then? and why are they not available to all.... smacks of elitism I say

It just goes to show ... well, something worthy of a PhD dissertation, most likely. Something in the vein of:-

Text based (eg, UNIX, DOS et al) database interfaces were entirely adequate, and (it may be argued ... and I do) probably more efficient than contemporary GUI-based ones. So why does everyone insist on having what they (in their led-by-the-nose manner) see as the "latest stuff"? As in, "it must be the Bee's Knees, coz it runs on Windows, and yer clicks on a mouse and all that" (or whatever)!

@Dave ... not heard of RHIP, then?

Hey, Dave!



PS: it's Bank Holiday Monday here in the Old Country, Mate. Do you have them out there?

Ok Mr Smarty Pants, I'll get the hang of this soonish......



it just may take a while............. I ain't really computer friendly truth be told....


No Bank Holidays as such but lots of public holidays. Alas, no more in Queensland until the Christmas break. All come in the first 6 months of the year so it is clear to all that WE NEED MORE !!

That's something we haven't (yet) discussed:-

What is the stuff of choice (PC's, mobile phones ... and all the rest)* of yer everyday chav, brogan (retard, whatever)? After all, they must have internet access (because of the porn).

Maybe a new thread required, there, Cobber.

* Don't tell me:- whatever was going cheap (as in, nicked) down the pub!