dve@zooid.UUCP (David Mason) (09/21/90)
We have a large problem in our organization. Right now, our accounting and pensions department is based on mini's accessing our minicomputer (a really archaic NCR mini running ITX - not the latest version of the operating system either. The mini is of recent vintage but not many companies use it). We are trying to "modernize" the system, and we would like to have the work done on the PCs. Even using the PCs as dumb terminals to the mini would be fine, but the operating system doesn't even support screen controls - IE, it draws the screen (a spreadsheet type screen with client data), then the operator has to key in which column and row they want to update, then type in the new data. What we'd like to do is have most of the work done on the PC end, say with a database that is able to retrieve the information from the mini, change it, then send the updated information back. Because the data being accessed is central to the organization and used by several departments, and because there is little hope in the near future of replacing the mini with either a more versatile and compatible system or a large LAN, I'd like to know if anyone has any suggestions. Right now the solutions are looking pretty ugly. What would be perfect would be for the user to be on a Windows station, and using a database or perhaps Excel, and be able to access the data and print completed forms entirely on the Laserjet (using just blank pages, and using graphics to achieve "professional" looking forms). Right now the best they've been able to come up with is primitive - have several printers hooked up to the mini with several different pre-printed forms and the user uses their PC to update and then tell the mini to print to the appropriate printer/form combination. We'd like to avoid this and come up with a better solution if possible. If anyone could offer any advice it would be sincerely appreciated. I hope I have explained the problem adequately. One of the things we are trying to avoid is something that is too complicated, IE something that will require a full-time programmer to maintain. MAIL would be appreciated as I've had problems recieving news. Thanks.