pcb@gator.cacs.usl.edu (Peter C. Bahrs) (07/30/90)
A couple of totally unrelated notes.
1) I just installed Superbase for Windows and the win3 upgrade. I must
say I am impressed. Although I haven't used every one of the
sql'ish facilities it seems to be very powerful and it is the
only database that I know of that runs under windows. I can
link to excel and use spreadsheet info in the database. It has a forms
generator and a DML language interface which puts database commands
in a language like BASIC. It allows for external file inclusion in
a form so I can pull up images or text...
I have been using Rbase for Dos under a DOS shell, but I think I will
migrate!!!!
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2) Well know I am running win3.0 with pagemaker, winword, excel, superbase,
drafix cad, designer, and ami pro(and soon SDK). One or more of these
programs is causing a "Unrecoverable error....". I don't know why AND
I can't seem to reproduce the error when I want.. sometimes causing me
to cold boot the machine (PS/2 70). Why? Who knows.
All of the programs are the newest versions. This has happened about
20 times in the last 2 months. I use the PC about 6 hours a day.
Yes, there is a bug somewhere but where? Which brings me to...
3) ...why am I using windows 3.0 and DOS in the first place? What are my
alternatives. a) PM and OS/2 1.1 Ext: I loaded this on another 70 and it
looks like the old windows. It is a little slower. But the new version
that IBM and Microsoft are fighting about requires less memory than what
I need for win3.0 to run ok (3MB).
b) Unix and X/Widgets/Motif: Well basically when I rely
on PD software like this...YUCK.BUGS. The X environment makes me mad
because everybody is supporting there own versions....the PD version
is constantly bug ridden and the development tools are nothing like the PC
envt. However the big plus is SHELL-TRANSPARENCY. I can develope, debug,
or run in a shell without any care. (take that win3.0).
My current 5 years of MS windows and X (widget,xlib,motif)
programming and research has led me to realize that abstraction
layers can make you pay the price. Don't get me wrong, I am a avid OO
designer. But for instance, when I use interfaces like NewWave and
I have a problem where is the error. In new wave, In the windows application
that newwave accesses? In the multitude of abstraction layers in
the application? In the libs that the application uses (C) or (windows -
actors or sdk). Where is their bug? In the graphics routines or the
Operating system or in the hardware?
How in the heck can I understand bugs or problems
as a user or a programmer when when I can't see past my
interface; wait for a new release?
What can I do about it?
I guess the state-of-the art dictates that
when I see "Unrecoverable Error..." I will just hit ok and continue....
P.S. I wonder how many applications in win3.0 or X environments will
'show' their programs correct with Software Eng. techniques or
'prove' their programs correct with axiomatic (or other) techniques?
I suspect the first.
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| Peter C. Bahrs |
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