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.

Because many older systems are fundamental to the business, assuring a high level of support is a priority requirement. It is all too common for changes in other software to cause such legacy systems to crash. At this point, it is vital to be able to draw on a pool of experienced programmers with the requisite skills to investigate and correct problems.

In addition, there may be a need for the development of new functionality to continue to support the business requirements. Alternatively, the old programs may need to be interfaced to newer software to avoid having to re-capture information with possible loss of accuracy. While this may frequently done via the database, in many cases programming changes may be needed to input and store the necessary associated data for a new interface.

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.

Experienced developers know that system help stabilize a business. Until a system is in place, companies are often at the mercy of ad hoc administrative decisions, and it can be difficult to keep track because of all the changes to manual systems. Software which has been thought through properly will support your workforce and make it easy to monitor results, as you can be sure that everything necessary has been recorded and accounted for.

Good systems help companies to function optimally, and most managers rely on computerized information to a large extent. Programmers experienced in Foxpro development work can help keep your business in touch with a changing environment. An experienced consulting firm assists you to keep your costs low while providing quality support for all your development needs.




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