Hearthlist Digest #165 - Tuesday, July 14, 1998 Technology Report by "Craig Issod" <[email protected]> Peterson Logs by "Craig Issod" <[email protected]>
(back) Subject: Technology Report From: Craig Issod <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 17:59:04 -0500 Summertime, a little slow on the list, so I'll do a technology update. Year 2000 - This is a problem that won't go away. It will mean increased sales for us in the hearth industry, but what good are sales if your accounting system fails. That's right, the problem is not only with big business, it is quite common in MANY small business. Here's the scoop: Macintosh - Apple thought far enough ahead in 1984 when it built the Mac to design it for Year 2000 and above. However, as insurance, it might pay you to test some of your older applications. For instance, if you enter an invoice into your accounts receivable as due in two years from today, will it know that means July 13, 2000?. You can try the same thing with databases, spreadsheets, etc. Don't worry about upgrading your system software. It knows what time it is. As a last precaution, do the following: 1. Enter all dates as 7/13/1998 (4 digit years) instead of 7/13/98 2. Contact (on the web) your software vendors and confirm that your software is Y2000 ready. 3. Test, test, test. PC Compatibles (Windows 3.1, 95,NT, DOS) - These operating systems and the programs that run on them are not fully Y2000 compliant. Don't ask me why Bill Gates released a program in 1995 (Windows 95) that was not ready for 2000...the answer is obvious. Yes, he's not the richest guy in the world for nothing. Chances are good that you'll need to give Microsoft some money in order to be compliant, that is once they have it figured out. There are dozens, and perhaps hundreds of issues with Windows and DOS products that will affect calculations regarding year 2000. Imagine if your accounting or POS system stops keeping track of who owes you money. Worse yet, some programs can break down altogether if they don't know the correct time. The problems are twofold... 1. Problems in the operating system. IBM has released PC DOS 2000, an update to 7.0 that should fix most Y2000 DOS problems. Microsoft is working hard to find and fix problems in Windows, but the truth is that they will not find many of the problems until after the fact. They have no way of simulating 200 million users with different software on their machines. 2. Specific Programs Many users enjoy older versions of Microsoft applications and other programs. It gets tiring paying a hundred bucks or more to upgrade to new programs with features you don't need. However, in this case, you may be forced to upgrade. Versions of Excel, Access and other MS programs are not 2000 compliant. Here's more: .. . . . At its Web site, Microsoft refers to its (current) products as "Year 2000-ready," by which it appears to mean that with some care on your part you can sail into the next century problem-free. . . . But be careful: Suppose you're importing text that has two-digit years into another Microsoft program, Access 97. It will assume, Microsoft says, that the two digits mean years in this century. So, Microsoft recommends that "legacy" data be converted to four-digit years so there is no confusion. That can be a huge job in a database into which clerks have been typing dates for years. There's enough uncertainty that Microsoft declines to warrant that its software will work flawlessly in the next century. "A single technology provider, even one as well prepared for the year 2000 as Microsoft is, cannot solve all issues related to the transition," the company says on its Web site. Microsoft says it might be blamed for Year 2000 problems caused by other companies' hardware or software. ....end quote... So, be prepared. Use your organizer program to set an appointment for two years in the future..does it know about 2000? Worse Case: Some hearth manufacturers may have custom programs which were modified by different programmers over the years. These programs can contain tens of thousands of lines of code, and could be impossible to upgrade to Y2000. This type of problem will be rare among retailers. Either way, put aside some time in the next few months to be sure your systems are compliant. The iMac, Apples new consumer model You may have heard some buzz about Apples new iMac (Internet Mac), a powerful and inexpensive computer which will be available in mid-August. I've had a chance to see the cute little things (at Macworld, NY), and study the specs. This may not be the lowest priced computer on the block, but it is certainly the most powerful avaiable for the price. It is also an all-in-one design which is perfect for most users. It sells for $1299. For that you get the computer complete with: 1. A great software package (Clarisworks 5) 2. Built-in 15" monitor 3. Built-in 10/100 Base-T Networking 4. G3 Processor - Tested as faster than 350 MHZ Pentium ! 5. Keyboard, Mouse, etc. 6. 56K Modem 7. CD-ROM 8. and more.... This is the perfect computer for many applications. My dad needs a new PowerMac, so he'll definitely get one. In fact, this setup would probably satisfy 70%+ of all computer users. What it does not have: 1. Video Input (from camcorders, etc) 2. Internal Expandibility (most people don't use this) 3. Floppy Drive Current projections are for Apple to sell over a million iMacs this year. They reportedly have orders for over 100,000 already and are preparing 400,000 units for immediate shipment at rollout...big numbers in any business. That's it for now... ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Issod HearthNet at http://www.hearth.com [email protected] Everything your Hearth Desires ------------------------------------------------------ Buddha says "avoid error" ------------------------------------------------------
(back) Subject: Peterson Logs From: Craig Issod <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 14 Jul 1998 18:04:58 -0500 In response to a recent request about Peterson Logs: We've sold them for years and had good luck with the product, the company and their distributor. They are not perfect (who is?) and have made some customer service mistakes. For instance, they once rolled out a new product that was of defective design and never sent out service memos to the dealers. Instead, they handled a large number of callbacks on a case-by-case basis. This is not my preferred way of dealing with such problems. I prefer knowing what is going on so I can handle the next callback. Still, they've taken care of every problem we had, so I must say that I can recommend the company and it's wares. Hope this helps... ------------------------------------------------------ Craig Issod HearthNet at http://www.hearth.com [email protected] Everything your Hearth Desires ------------------------------------------------------ Buddha says "avoid error" ------------------------------------------------------