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Saturday 24 May 2014

Foxpro Programming Experts Support Legacy Systems

By Marci Glover


When a language loses its popularity due to changes in the market, it may still need to be supported. For example, many companies still have a requirement for Foxpro programming skills, even though the popularity of this language has declined dramatically. Such older systems will always need to be kept up to date with changes if they are to retain any usefulness to the organization.

In fact, there are still many mission-critical systems written in Foxpro out there, despite its precipitous decline in popularity. These form a part of increasing numbers of legacy systems which will be costly and time-consuming to replace and compete with more urgent applications for development. While a point will be reached when when the situation will have to be addressed, There is a requirement for resources to maintain them.

Companies with such legacy systems are usually keen to assure themselves of ongoing support at all times. Changes to computer software may cause older systems to crash, and assistance may then be needed urgently. In an emergency situation, there is usually no time for inexperienced programmers to learn the software before they deal with the problem.

You might even need more than emergency support, as new functions may need to be developed to help the system retain its usefulness to the company. It may also be necessary to link the system to newer software so that it is not necessary to capture the same data twice. While recapturing is sometimes used, there is a strong possibility that errors will creep in and finding the problem may require time-consuming exercise and detailed comparison of inputs.

As mentioned, the nature of the business may change or new laws be introduced which require systems to be adapted. This sort of work requires high-level developers to be done optimally, and it may be difficult to find someone with the necessary skill set. A good outsourcing company is likely to be your salvation if you face this situation.

Eventually, re-developing the system may be an option, especially if the business needs have changed substantially over the years or the Foxpro system has become unstable. It will then be necessary for someone to document how the software functions, so that this information can be input into a new design. In many cases an old system will be a mysterious black box to the current users, who may have very little understanding of what it does.

Computer systems can have a big impact on the way you run your business, and eventually they determine how the company operates. Until you have a system in place, it is likely that the way you do things changes frequently. Your business runs more smoothly once a good system has been designed which lets all relevant transactions be recorded without the need for frequent ad hoc administrative changes.

A well-designed system can be a huge competitive advantage, and assist managers with their task. However, they do need to be kept in smooth working order and in touch with the latest advances. An experienced Foxpro outsourcing firm can support and update existing systems and avoid the disruption of excessive system downtime, while ensuring your business gets the right information to operate at peak levels of performance.




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