[OT] System Conversion - An Overview


As an extension of an earlier thread regarding a COBOL-to-Java
conversion... some meanderings.

As noted, the core of such a thing is not a technology change, it is a
business process change and needs to be addressed both by those familiar
with the present process (what the COBOL system does) as well as those who
are familiar with the new technology's capabilities (what the Java system
can do). Right off the bat there may be difficulties... those familiar
with the present process may respond with 'oh, we can do *that*, why
didn't you ask?' when the new-tech team begins its proposals.

I recall reading, someplace, a consultant who said he'd been approached by
a small insurance company in the early 1970s about converting their
current paper-and-pencil system to a state-of-the-art COBOL/CICS
green-screen system. His off-the-record response was 'They wanted to
duplicate their current processes... they had no idea how using a computer
would change the way they work and the way they could work, essentially
they wanted an electronic version of their current system and nothing
more.'

In like manner... who has not seen a DB2 installation obviously designed
by VSAM-heads? All the overhead of an RDBM system, none of the benefits.

The greatest difficulty, I would say, in these situations is that either
marching-orders have already been given (some stinkwad, two-bit,
Corner-Office Idiot says 'That last Executive Retreat I went to in the
Bahamas - oh, the harsh burdens I bear for The Company! - taught that
COBOL's worthless and Java's the way to go. Get it done!') or that those
with a particular dog in the fight (Preserve the Olde Wayse or New System
Now) are more interested in keeping discussion in areas that they know
about than in honestly learning something new.

(on my current site I do a lot of ad-hoc reporting and file-creation for a
PeopleSoft system that gets ftp'd off the Big Iron... when it started the
general attitude was 'Oh, that can't be done with COBOL'... and this has
changed to 'Oh, only *he* can do that with COBOL', an equally distasteful
view, I'd say)

All in all, it is usually a good thing to remember what Machiavelli had to
say about the introduction of new systems
<http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1232/1232.txt>

--begin quoted text:

And it ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take
in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, then
to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the
innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old
conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.
This coolness arises partly from fear of the opponents, who have the laws
on their side, and partly from the incredulity of men, who do not readily
believe in new things until they have had a long experience of them.

--end quoted text

DD

.

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