[AccessD] Access 2007 Applications Running Under Access 2013 Runtime

Arthur Fuller fuller.artful at gmail.com
Mon Jan 19 03:51:19 CST 2015


Jim,

Given that they are XP-era boxes, my initial question would be, How much
RAM is available? As you know, for a pure Linux install even 2 GB will
suffice, but the reason I ask is that the way I see it, your preferred
paths (mine, too, with that many boxes to consider) are either Linux + Wine
or Linux + VirtualBox + XP VMs. Either way, a minimum of 4 GB of RAM would
be needed. I am also assuming that the critical software aboard each
desktop is close to identical. So 1000 / 78 = 12.8 boxes . Assuming one
server per store, that averages to 65 desktops per store. Really? Who would
have thunk that a puny little pharmacy would need that many boxes per store?

Regardless of the actual distribution, that's still a lot of boxes to
convert. Presumably you'll recommend a path and the other consulting firm
will do the actual ports. I certainly don't need to tell you what to do. If
it were me, I'd start with a physical inventory. Maybe instead of or in
addition to a server per store there are one or more server farms, in which
case one approach may be a cloud solution. Is there an off-the-shelf
"pharmacy package" that they use? If so, and it was written in .NET, then
perhaps a port to Mono? What's the Back End database? It would be really
convenient if it were MySQL. For other stuff, I'm guessing they use Office.
An enterprise-wide conversion to Office Libre or OpenOffice would involve
training, store by store -- not your problem of course, but somebody's.
Still, I can sure see why such an outfit would be looking to escape the MS
stranglehold. The extended-support packages offered by Ubuntu etc. start to
look really good by comparison.

Please keep me posted on how it goes.

(Strictly Canadian note: do you ever watch Dragon's Den? One of the
dragons, Jim Treliving, he of Boston Pizza and Mr. Lube, frequently
mentions London Drugs. I don't know whether he owns a piece or just has an
ongoing relationship with them.)

Arthur

On Sun, Jan 18, 2015 at 7:48 PM, Jim Lawrence <accessd at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Over the last couple of weeks I have been in conversation with a support
> company who have been approaching a number small to medium companies and
> trying to get them to migrate up from their XP boxes Yes, you would not
> believe how many businesses are sitting still and trying to figure out
> which way to go next.
>
> I have been brought in to do some consulting on how easy it is to move a
> company called LondonDrugs from XP to Linux. They are not a large company
> but they will have to move their 78 store with around a thousand Desktops
> and Servers sooner than later. Microsoft, has approach them, offering
> deals, assistance and even terms but the management does not want to end up
> in a similar set of circumstances, in another five years. No matter what
> the results are it is going to cost the company millions. I of course am
> hoping they will choose Linux for a majority of their computers but have no
> say in the outcome.
>
> I know I said I would not get pulled back into systems work but my Volvo
> has broken, probably the most expensive part in the car; the control
> mechanism between the front and rear AWD and it will cost about 4K when the
> taxes are paid. Hopefully a weeks work will cover it.
>
> The final ending of Windows7 may not be so...has not Microsoft condemned
> Window 7 to the dust-bin a couple of times before?
>
> Jim


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