How to deal with a generation gap.
I have been working for a consulting group for six months now, was brought on as their first employee to take them into the world of .net. I've done asp.net and vb.net winforms applications. They normally work with applications written in Access, but the back end has always been MS Sql Server 2000 or 2005.
It has been frusterating working in the winforms side of .net developing, because since they just started getting into .net development, they do not have a set of standards on how their applications should be created. The first 3 to 4 weeks, I was writing code to display and sort data the way MS Access automatically allows you. My example is sorting data sheets, and displaying a combo box with multi columns.
MS Access allows you to sort and filter with no added programming, the datagridview control of course has means to do so, but the programmer has to create a standard which can be implemented on each and every grid. Once, of course, a standard is agreed upon, they can implement that standard across the board.
My other problem was finding a solution to implement a multi column combobox. I ended having to take someone else's control, then implement it so it would work in the datagrid view, then test and work around the bugs of the control. Access has the means to set up your dataset for the control, and declare what fields are returned and no outside programming is requred to get a multicolumn combobox working, stand alone or in a grid.
Ok, that is my scenario. Right now I am working on access applications, which I have no complaints about, because they do not have any other .net apps lined up right now.. I guess we had to just get over a hump in the road in learning a new technology, but is there any way I can boost support of .net in people who see Access as a means to turn over projects 50% faster than .net?
When we get our first actual .net application tried and tested, I'm sure the next applications will come much quicker, but it seems like so far, .net has a bad impression. Any thoughs, ideas, or suggestions?
[2123 byte] By [
bjswift] at [2007-11-20 11:48:42]
# 1 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
Your argument infavour of .net is not strong so far!
From your description it would seem that Access does all that is required for your company's needs.
To make a stronger case for .net you must show what it can do that Access cannot and that it's worth the extra effort.
# 2 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
Exactly, I was not trying to make an argument for .net in my last post, but inquire how I can explain that it is. In their minds, the only reason they are even thinking of starting to mover into .net is because of 'hype' or client's desires to have .net because it is considered a newer technology.
I strongly believe .net is more powerful, and you can customize and display a more professional looking application, however Access works for them, so why change?
"Why is .net better than Access?". That statement is flawed, because I honestly believe one is not better than the other, but if used in the right situation, they can both be better depending ont he needs of the client. However, since I am new to .net (only 2 years of asp.net experience) it is hard to show the strong points of .net, especially when I have to explain I can't give them a multi column combobox, unless I spend a few weeks either creating one, or find one. Oh yah, when I find one, I need to spend another week or so, understanding how to get it working with the datagridview control.
Also, the people I am working with do not really understand object oriented programming, and wonder why I have to 're-create' controls; for another example, when I want to have a control that validates a certain way. It is hard to explain that once you create that control that implements a certain validation, you dont' have to 're-code' the validation rules for each control (with access).
So what can .net do that Access can't?
Side note: My main problem I guess, is I can get it done with .net, but can't seem to turn over solutions as fast as they are used to with .net. I'm sure once we work through these hurdles, and agree upon standards of how certain controls and applications work, the development time will go down. <humor> I should show a graph of development time, from our first app, ect.. Graphs are easly seen by managers, right? </humor>
# 3 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
Maybe the ease of creating a reusable library of components would be one for the tick list for .net.
You can then explain that as each new application is created, more components will be added to the library, eventually leading to a (hopefully) even quicker turnaround in application developement where a lot of the code is built from pre-tested building blocks.
# 4 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
Well, if the team I work with wants to be successful with .net development, they will have to accept the fact there will be a 'learning curve', or extra time spent while we work out standards for developing software. After that, its all down hill. :)
# 5 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
If it's to be used on a standalone PC, or up to 5 users, then Access can be used. Any more than that, and you need a better db. Plus, users NEED to have Access installed whereas Net applications can use any data source (as well as Internet sources which isn't likely with Access)
Plus, with Net, you can still use your PC while an app is running. Again, not easy to do with Access and 20 other windows open. I just rewrote an app that took 4 minutes in vb6 and 10-20 seconds in vb.net
You can always BUY controls to use, if you want standards that can be customized further.
# 6 Re: How to deal with a generation gap.
All solutions related to this post are backed by SQL Server 2000 or 2005. I am working with either Access ADP files connecting to SQL Server, or .net windows forms solutions using SQL Server 2000/2005.
I need to convince that spending a few thousand dollars on some professional custom controls will be worth it for the business, to set up standards, but even though you can buy custom controls from third party vendors, they are not all flawless.. I have first hand experience with asp.net controls from Infragistics, and ran into some interesting problems.
Anyhow, I believe once the company I am with gets rolling with a second application in .Net, and see that we are just re-using the work and time spent I put in to get the custom controls working how they wanted it, the development time will be reduced.
The hard part, is explaining it to non technical people, how and why development time is more than doubled, when they are breaking into a new technology, and only have one developer able to accomplish such customized requests.
Life will go on, hopefully in my case, towards a bright .net future.. Again, not that Access can't do the job, it is just I prefer and am more comfortable developing in .net.
:)
