Re: Access programming-responses - Medflex
Andrew Adams
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Access programming-responses - Medflex
Creator:
Andrew Adams
Date:
2/17/1998
Text:
We have a client who has had a rather less glowing experience with Medflex,
though they still use the package with the consideration that it is the
least of few evils covering the O&P industry. We have found it to be
unstable beyond five users, either due to poor record locking or its lack
of a robust RDBMS underpinning. This instability, which requires constant
attention, has not been helped by Medflex's recommendation of Windows NT,
an admittedly superior platform for most applications which, in the case of
the RDBMS they use, required registry editing and the immediate
installation of every Microsoft patch available until the problem abated
somewhat. We even had a network saturation issue due to Medflex's old habit
of checking the server clock more than 30 times per second on faster
machines. This was when the client had only 15 machines, leading us to
wonder if that was the largest number of simultaneous users tried to date.
We look forward to a rewrite on a real database (MS SQL Server, Oracle,
Sybase, anything!), but understand that Medflex has chosen a more recent
version of Dataflex on which to base their package. Hopefully this version
will correct the problems we have been having and I will no longer have to pen dour letters such as this.
PS to Mr. Mandelbaum: I hope you have not spent more than $8000 trying to
make a program that will do all the things that the $8000 O&P programs do.
I also hope your company doesn't find itself in a situation where only one
person knows how to run their software, as our client was in. Despite
MedFlex's faults, we think it's less likely John, John, and Charlie will
all get hit by buses on the same day than the author of our client's old
software. Our client eventually realized that they wanted to be in the O&P
business, not the software business.
Andrew
Andrew Adams <Email Address Redacted>
The Weston Group <Email Address Redacted>
www.andrewadams.com
On Sunday, February 15, 1998 1:59 PM, Pat Peick [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ] wr
ote:
> > Dear All,
> > My last posted note may have been less than adequate given my
burgeoning flu
> > symptoms. My apologies.
> I finally picked up a package called Medflex. I have nothing but the
> highest reguard for this program, its developer and support staff. I
> have been using the program for a year and a half.
>
> 1. It a powerful package manageing both accounts payable and
> receivable.
>
> 2. There is not a report I know of that it cannot write or the support
> staff cannot create in a matter of days.
>
> 3. It is the best supported package I have ever owned, bar none! I
> have never had an urgent question or a problem that was not answered or
> solved within the day it was asked, usually within the half hour.
>
> 4. It does require a mandatory support fee, but they have never failed
> to be there when I needed them.
>
> 5. Their weakest area is their manual and they desparately need to
> write a better one. This not withstanding, their support almost makes a
> manual unnecessary.
>
> O.P.E.N (O&P Entrepreneur's Network) markets the program. If you go to
> Miami, O.P.E.N. will probably have a booth. Mike Bass, one of
> O.P.E.N.'s principals and John Mason, one of the persons who developed
> Med Flex, will be demonstrating the program. Stop by and see them.
> John Benson
>
> Second response:
> please give me a call at binghamton limb and brace
> 607 797 1246
> perhaps a phone call will prove more elusidating.
> try medflex it works.
> also try ziff davis books or their web site for info on databasing.
> <URL Redacted>
> <URL Redacted>
>
> We are working on a office integration program using ACCESS to keep
patient
> data, history, billing, inventory, mailing lists, letter merges etc. We
> think this will do everything the $8000.00 P&O programs will do . We have
> spent a lot of time and money developing this program and may offer a
Beta
> version. We think we can sell this program as an add on program to MS
> Office Pro for not too much money and no monthly support fees. Only fees
> would be for updates that people wanted.
> Marty Mandelbaum
>
> Yep! Is more easy with VFP. At least I found it in that way. With the
> VFP is moro accurate with the filters when you made a query because yu
can
> define many kinds of joins.
>
> This is very good! . the truth is that I work moero in my project with
the
> costs of work and the procedures of manufacturing... My vision is to use
> this program as a quality control help and of course as an analysis tool
for
> optimize the manufacturing procedures for been more competitive.
>
> People seems to be interested but they dont understand very well the
> objective of this develope.... We must considder that the P/O in Mexico
> still loking the computers as a kind of devil or something like that....
> Many people dont think that it is more a tool than anything else.
> :-) At the begining test and mistake... with the time I have the oport
unitty
> to get involved more with the computers for job affaires, I worked as a
> consultant for TV Azteca in the systems area... In that place I learn
many
> things abouth database.
>
> The truth? I like more P/O !
>
> So, I think that it could be a good idea to conciliate bouth points.
though they still use the package with the consideration that it is the
least of few evils covering the O&P industry. We have found it to be
unstable beyond five users, either due to poor record locking or its lack
of a robust RDBMS underpinning. This instability, which requires constant
attention, has not been helped by Medflex's recommendation of Windows NT,
an admittedly superior platform for most applications which, in the case of
the RDBMS they use, required registry editing and the immediate
installation of every Microsoft patch available until the problem abated
somewhat. We even had a network saturation issue due to Medflex's old habit
of checking the server clock more than 30 times per second on faster
machines. This was when the client had only 15 machines, leading us to
wonder if that was the largest number of simultaneous users tried to date.
We look forward to a rewrite on a real database (MS SQL Server, Oracle,
Sybase, anything!), but understand that Medflex has chosen a more recent
version of Dataflex on which to base their package. Hopefully this version
will correct the problems we have been having and I will no longer have to pen dour letters such as this.
PS to Mr. Mandelbaum: I hope you have not spent more than $8000 trying to
make a program that will do all the things that the $8000 O&P programs do.
I also hope your company doesn't find itself in a situation where only one
person knows how to run their software, as our client was in. Despite
MedFlex's faults, we think it's less likely John, John, and Charlie will
all get hit by buses on the same day than the author of our client's old
software. Our client eventually realized that they wanted to be in the O&P
business, not the software business.
Andrew
Andrew Adams <Email Address Redacted>
The Weston Group <Email Address Redacted>
www.andrewadams.com
On Sunday, February 15, 1998 1:59 PM, Pat Peick [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ] wr
ote:
> > Dear All,
> > My last posted note may have been less than adequate given my
burgeoning flu
> > symptoms. My apologies.
> I finally picked up a package called Medflex. I have nothing but the
> highest reguard for this program, its developer and support staff. I
> have been using the program for a year and a half.
>
> 1. It a powerful package manageing both accounts payable and
> receivable.
>
> 2. There is not a report I know of that it cannot write or the support
> staff cannot create in a matter of days.
>
> 3. It is the best supported package I have ever owned, bar none! I
> have never had an urgent question or a problem that was not answered or
> solved within the day it was asked, usually within the half hour.
>
> 4. It does require a mandatory support fee, but they have never failed
> to be there when I needed them.
>
> 5. Their weakest area is their manual and they desparately need to
> write a better one. This not withstanding, their support almost makes a
> manual unnecessary.
>
> O.P.E.N (O&P Entrepreneur's Network) markets the program. If you go to
> Miami, O.P.E.N. will probably have a booth. Mike Bass, one of
> O.P.E.N.'s principals and John Mason, one of the persons who developed
> Med Flex, will be demonstrating the program. Stop by and see them.
> John Benson
>
> Second response:
> please give me a call at binghamton limb and brace
> 607 797 1246
> perhaps a phone call will prove more elusidating.
> try medflex it works.
> also try ziff davis books or their web site for info on databasing.
> <URL Redacted>
> <URL Redacted>
>
> We are working on a office integration program using ACCESS to keep
patient
> data, history, billing, inventory, mailing lists, letter merges etc. We
> think this will do everything the $8000.00 P&O programs will do . We have
> spent a lot of time and money developing this program and may offer a
Beta
> version. We think we can sell this program as an add on program to MS
> Office Pro for not too much money and no monthly support fees. Only fees
> would be for updates that people wanted.
> Marty Mandelbaum
>
> Yep! Is more easy with VFP. At least I found it in that way. With the
> VFP is moro accurate with the filters when you made a query because yu
can
> define many kinds of joins.
>
> This is very good! . the truth is that I work moero in my project with
the
> costs of work and the procedures of manufacturing... My vision is to use
> this program as a quality control help and of course as an analysis tool
for
> optimize the manufacturing procedures for been more competitive.
>
> People seems to be interested but they dont understand very well the
> objective of this develope.... We must considder that the P/O in Mexico
> still loking the computers as a kind of devil or something like that....
> Many people dont think that it is more a tool than anything else.
> :-) At the begining test and mistake... with the time I have the oport
unitty
> to get involved more with the computers for job affaires, I worked as a
> consultant for TV Azteca in the systems area... In that place I learn
many
> things abouth database.
>
> The truth? I like more P/O !
>
> So, I think that it could be a good idea to conciliate bouth points.
Citation
Andrew Adams, “Re: Access programming-responses - Medflex,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/210284.
