Members of the dBASE User Group

Geoff Marshall

..... Geoff took over the reigns of the dBASE User Group in 1992

Geoff Marshall has been in the computer industry now for just over 24 years. Starting with Ferranti Computer Systems of Bracknell in 1972 he originally programmed naval command and control systems specialising in real time communications. He later moved to Software Sciences then in 1985 started his own consultancy and has lost money ever since! As a result of a requirement for a particular contract he bought dBASE III and then discovered you need a computer to run it on, ("well the BBC wasn't quite good enough"). So armed with an 8088 he started discovering what a root directory was (much to the disgust of the Ashton Tate help line who had to explain it to him) and eventually began writing dBASE programs. Geoff joined the dBASE User Group in 1987ish and became a member of the council in 1990. His first commercial program was written in dBASE in 1987 and in Clipper in 1988, "well we were still using 8086's then and you just had to have a compiled program to get the speed". Geoff took over the reigns of the dBASE User Group in 1992 and started programming in Fox in 1993. Back to Visual dBASE in 1994. In May 94 Geoff flew to SanDeigo on for the inaugural dBASE "Spring Training" and brought back sufficient material for a series of courses that were presented around the country in May-July 1994. Geoff started on Delphi when it was released early in Feb 95, and immediately got a commission programming a Paradox system (in Delphi but the customer didn't know the difference, "we were, after all, using Paradox and dBASE Tables!"). Now using Delphi for programming and dBASE for interactive data manipulation, Geoff is also into Interbase and client server programming, he has helped with the Interbase User Group and the Delphi Developers Team, and also uses and teaches J Builder.

Geoff can be reached on Geoff_Marshall@compuserve.com
(Geoff Marshall Jan 98)

Mike Bell

... a field to me has things growing on it

After national service and an 18 month spell in the City with a firm of Lloyds brokers I joined my Father in his garage/service station. After being in the same place for 25 years I thought it was time for a change! Just prior to that, one of the part time pump attendants was doing a computing course and needed a project, so I suggested stock control. When I left the garage we formed a company to sell the programme. This is when I started using dBase11 on an Apricot. When I needed a compiler I went to dBxl and Arago and only came back in the fold when WordTech were taken over by Borland. In the mean time to get away from the kids we moved to the south coast. Through a sailing friend I started to create programmes for the farming industry. So a field to me has things growing on it. Systems have been written for both agronomists and farmers. Initially these were DOS systems but recently they have been changed to VdB 5.6. And now I am beginning to look at v7.01

(Mike Bell September 1999)

Terry Ede

...... spends some 40% of his time developing new client applications using dBase

With a background in process control, electronic and computer engineering embracing oil terminal automation through to the development of industrial inverters and laptop terminals, Terry Ede has been within the computer industry for over 25 years.

For the last 18 years he has been part of a small consultancy company based in Woking, Surrey. Initially, like others at that time, he struggled with CPM based systems for project analysis and office tasks. By the time he obtained an early IBM AT in the late 80’s Terry was developing bespoke customer software using an uncomfortable alliance of dBase3+ and a programmable spreadsheet package from Aston Tate known as Framework.

Today, Terry typically spends some 40% of his time developing new client applications using dBase 5.5 with Crystal Reports (and shortly dBase 7) and continues to use a combination of dBase 5 for DOS and Framework for support of older applications. Current applications include utility metering, cost management, sales analysis and production forecasting. Other interests include trying to fathom NT 4 , MS BackOffice and Office suites of software for internal use and client support and undertaking various application consultancy activities.

Terry Ede can be reached on comsolve@Lineone.net or tel no 01483 488661.

Terry Ede, C Eng., MIEE. Jan 98

Bob Rimmington

to build ..... the sort of planning tools we had dreamed of for years.

I came to programming after doing a wide variety of jobs within Unilever. By the early 1980's I was responsible for production planning and distribution for Van den Berghs & Jurgens and was getting frustrated with the limitations and slow delivery of the then typical systems accessed through dumb terminals. The arrival of desktop machines, first an HP125 and then an early IBM PC soon changed that. As too did the discovery of dBASE, then still in its original version II. Over the next few years first dBASE III+ and then Clipper was used to build (on a D-I-Y basis) the sort of planning tools we had dreamed of for years.

Then came the chance of early retirement and with it the opportunity to continue programming on a freelance basis. Completely new systems were written in Clipper for some clients and for two others extensive (and ever continuing!) enhancements have been made to the dBFlex accounting system, one of the few such products that can be purchased with all source code. Visual Objects quickly proved a big No No but VdB 5.5 and then v7.01 were a different matter. Several applications were written in 5.5 and already a quite big holiday bookings system has been written in v7.01. It sees to be working well, due in no small part to the support at the dBUG meetings, all those invaluable HOW files and the splendid VdB News Group.

Associated activities have included writing xBASE reviews and other material for the EXE Magazine for programmers and now taking on responsibility for this web site.

Tel. 01444 236352 ......... email: BobRimmington@ukf.net

Bruce White

I have found these informal gatherings of invaluable help

I have been programming since ........ well lets just say since before we won the World Cup! The early years were spent on ICL mainframes, initially using PLAN but followed swiftly by a change to COBOL; this, in turn was superseded by so called 3rd Generation languages (which still needed calls to COBOL to do anything remotely difficult!). The last 8-9 years I've seen PC development grow from a trickle until now when that occupies most of my time.
Employers over the years have included Pilkington Glass, Johnson & Nephew, Plessey, Northamptonshire County Council, Tungstone Batteries and Golden Wonder. For the last 9 years I have been self-employed.
1989 saw my introduction to dBASE - quite late compared to many in the Group - with dBASE IV version 1.1. After years of tedious and verbose mainframe languages dBASE was like a breath of fresh air to me and to a large extent that remains that way. I have 'stuck with it' through all the various versions and upgrades, not to mention the transition from DOS to Windows, to the latest Visual dBase 5.5 which I've been using for a couple of years. The 32-bit version 7 now beckons with no doubt another set of problems to overcome but this is where the dBASE User Group comes into its own. The monthly meetings provide a pleasant social afternoon/evening and most importantly an opportunity to participate in the problem airing and solution suggestion sessions. I have found these informal gatherings of invaluable help so, despite a 220 mile round trip, I attend them every month.
Recent systems (all multi-user) written for clients include ones for Demand Management, Capital Expenditure and Microbiology Test Results - all using VdB 5.5.

Email: brampro@compuserve.com

Bruce White Jan '98