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| For those of you interested in software and how it all works “behind the scenes”, grab a copy of a document Ted Macy, owner and top programmer at Mapshots, posted a few days back on their discussion forum. (I assume it’s okay to publicly post here, it is available on the public web after all, but to be safe probably should grab it quick!)
A few observations on a very long and technical twelve page doc..
Often times on this board and other discussions there is comments about the price we pay for software vs. the low perceived “cost” of production. Spend some time on the technology changes going into a product like EasiSuite.. all behind the scenes stuff designed to just “keep up” with software development capabilities in general and providing nothing that most of us visibly “see”, but requiring a ton of time from people that probably won’t work for nothing! (And those of you running Farmworks software, I think they did a lot of the same underlying technology changes, with some of the associated issues, moving to the X2 generation of software a few years ago)
Another note, check out the section on integrating field devices, another little seen time sink, all most of us care about is that the data from whatever cool new toy we have in our cab just appears in our chosen desktop software. But the development required to make that happen can be pretty awful! And for those that care (me and maybe two other people L, it appears Mapshots is moving to make FODM/FODD an “open source” industry resource, a very good development I think, assuming there are those in the industry willing to carry the ball from here. And sure enough, we see the issues with any standard, it continues to try to gain more widespread acceptance of the core services it provides, while at the same time being pushed by others into new areas, background images and guidance lines in this case.
One final note, a little less technical and more of a “next generation” feature. To simply plagiarize Ted’s writing “the most significant happing of 2007, from my standpoint, is the new spreadsheet editor and reporting engine we are introducing. The ability to provide an engine that will give you a good, basic set of reports, and let you customize them to meet your specific needs has been at the top of almost everyone’s wish list. And for the first time in my 35 years of software development experience.. I think we can fulfill that wish”. I haven’t personally been around 35 years, but assuming this concept can live up to my and others expectations, I think it is a really exciting leap forward, along the same lines as the concepts of integrated maps and crop records, FODD/FODM, ect.
If you made it to the bottom of this note, I challenge you to try to wade through the full document! You can find it as a link in this post on Mapshots support forum: http://www.mapshots.com/support/esforum/showmessage.asp?messageID=9... Would be very curious for others reaction to the thoughts here, esp. on the software development technology side. | |
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A rare "inside" look at the ag software development process..
