Re: Opinions on approach, please...





<docdwarf@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:g1cv72$7gs$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <69ubg1F35bcl9U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Pete Dashwood <dashwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


<docdwarf@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:g1c5mk$s88$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
In article <bnvi34t7b26e2c9bp49ub9aieor2o65qj8@xxxxxxx>,
Robert <no@xxxxxx> wrote:

[snip]

Conversion is a ONE TIME process, which allows manual modification.

Mr Wagner, our experiences are *very* different... what I have seen is
'if
it is done once, it will be done eternally' (eg, this week's 'ad hoc'
jobstream for 'Show me the counts for the Altoona Division that caused
(situation)' become next week's Prod-scheduled run for 'Show all
Divisions that have counts which will cause (situation).').

Yep. Happens all the time.

However, Robert is right that conversion is a one time process. Once it's
converted, you don't go back and reconvert it.

Given that English can be an imprecise language, as in:

A: 'I dropped the glass on the table and it broke.'

B: 'It must have been a very fragile table!'

... then I am uncertain as what is being described as 'it' in the second
sentence above, Mr Dashwood.

If by 'it' one refers to 'any given datum' then perhaps so.

If by 'it' one refers to 'a given day's data' then no... because next
week's figures from (customer large enough that their data are to be
taken 'as is') have not yet been converted.

What does happen is that you
may want to spread the conversion effort, so the "one time" process gets
spread out as an "ongoing" process.

As above, Mr Dashwood... one may not 'want to' do things in this manner,
one may be told by a Time*** Signer 'it will be done in this manner'.

I don't recommend this, as it just
creates pain.

Hmmmmm... maintaining conversion for (big customer) creates pain, losing
business from (big customer) creates pain. Sounds like it might be time
for a cost/benefit analysis.


I did that before undertaking it. :-) The trick then is to ensure there is
no scope creep that undermines the original estimates. The deliverables here
are clearly identified. I am simply looking for ideas and thoughts to either
reinforce or gainsay my own thoughts and ideas, and to ensure I provide
those deliverables in the best way I possibly can.

Pete.
--
"I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."


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