Re: soft code
From: H Koch (koches_at_btinternet.com)
Date: 12/05/03
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Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 19:12:28 -0000
thanks or the explanation, my question did generate quite a few strange
replies. I had looked on the internet for an explanation but could not find
one. The reason I asked the question is that the main company which produces
IT for dental surgeons in the UK claims to have a soft coded product which
will satisfy the new NHS requirements. The fact that our NHS has not
released any details of the new spec. and will not until the middle of next
year was what raised my suspicions. Our NHS system is at present code driven
with some 500 codes all with different validations. It is likely but not
fact that the new spec will just introduce new codes. I suspect , after
reading your explanation, that the codes will not be hard coded but will be
'user defined ' via a DB or an external file, with their validation
criteria.
Thanks for the help. Howard
"Brett Watters" <bwatters@geometrix.bc.ca> wrote in message
news:3fcfa35b@newsgroups.borland.com...
> h koch,
>
> My two cents worth.
>
> It sounds like a buzz word. Similiar to "hard coded" it isn't strictly
> defined so appears like it is it a sales buzz-word than any measurable
item.
> Exactly how static does an app have to be to be "hard coded"? How
> open or extensible does an app have to be to be soft-coded?
>
> That said, I assume whoever is using it is likely implying that their
> applications
> is:
>
> a) Not based on strictly pre-defined values, constants, or rules. i.e. a
> user
> could specify the values used in determining processing logic. It's
> impossible
> to have every constant alterable -- number of days in a year -- but it
isn't
> hard to imagine having most constants which would typically wish to be
> altered have some method of doing so.
>
> b) Not hard-coding business rules. I.e. methods of calculating values,
> determining which fields require input, field masks, custom fields, and
> processes could somehow be made alterable. For example, a database
> app might use an n-tiered approach and allow rules for validating data
> to be set in the database. A soft-coded app might detect an error storing
> the data, display the appropriate error message, and adjust it's interface
> (say not allowing a dialog to be closed) based on the database error.
> You can say that the application is "soft-coded" since it adjusts to
> external rules which it doesn't know about at the time it was coded.
>
> c) Allows the interface to be adjusted. For example, MS Outlook forms
> allow users to create and/or adjust interfaces into various systems. A
> client could build a form to sent shipping requests to the shipping
> department even though no one at MS wrong any code/screens to allow
> Outlook to operate as a shipping program. An app might allow clients
> to move controls, hide controls, or even add new controls from within
> the application (storing the changes elsewhere).
>
> d) The application has a macroing language. Say VBA found within
> Word or Excel. At various points, the application calls macros which
> can modify the behaviour of the application. For example, when opening
> a dialog or calculates an amount, or deletes something, the app calls a
> macro.
> If the user writes a macro, it could modify the dialog before the app
> displays
> it, overrides the value the app normally calculates, or prevents the
> deletion
> from occuring.
>
> e) Embeds processing rules into a database or other system. For example,
> there might be a database of "processes" which are called. By adjusting
the
> order and/or rules in the database, you cause the application to work
> differently. You can even extend this down to the object and or field
> level. For example, you might have a table storing all the fields within
> your database with a "Visible" option on each. Turn this off and the
> application
> no longer displays the field on the screen. I've seen entire web-apps
which
> are basically rules defining how each element on each pages should be
> displayed. Users can hide elements, re-order elements, add new elements,
> etc.
>
>
> I think the general assumption for a "soft-coded" application is that it
has
> one or more methods to allow it to be adjusted to a wide variety of needs
> without the client needing a new application. I.e. two clients using the
> same application, might have systems which work extremely differently.
>
> At some point, the difference between a "soft-coded" application and a
> development system can get some what fuzzy. General distinction is
> likely that the "soft-coded" application does a general task out of the
> box, but can be made more specific.
>
> I think an acceptable definition of a good soft-coded application would be
> that the application can be set-up to perform any specific business
> requirement related to the general application, without issuing a new
> application, even if the application's developers may not have considered
> this.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brett
>
>
>
>
> "h koch" <hkoch@globalnet.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:3fcf6957$1@newsgroups.borland.com...
> > does any one know what a soft coded application is?
> >
> > thanks
> >
> >
>
>
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