Four++ years ago a client asked me to continue a three year old project of theirs.<\/p>\n To be completed in seven weeks… that is.<\/p>\n (The topic of rushed projects<\/a> have been a recurring item in this blog but no most of our projects are not rushed : )<\/p>\n So seven weeks, I was asked… if I could do it.<\/p>\n Being a proud programmer back then… I accepted it. <\/p>\n For pride… for glory<\/a>… for the challenge<\/a>.<\/p>\n (Payment will even be given a year after. Nine months after to be exact… so financial motivation was non-existent.) <\/p>\n Plus back then I felt like I was an ultra-bionic coder with 28 fingers and 42 mind-to-fingers 2048-bit internal buses<\/a> that can tap three alternate universes for quantum fueled code-pounding mojos.<\/p>\n And I have FoxPro… of course.<\/p>\n VFP6 was the main weapon back then.<\/p>\n The client’s old project was done in Visual Basic 5 if I’m not mistaken. (With multiple ocx files) <\/p>\n So if you’re me faced with a rushed project to be finished in seven weeks… the best thing to do first is of course to convert things to Visual FoxPro.<\/p>\n I knew VB back then… but I’m more familiar with the Fox.<\/p>\n In pressured situations you tend to go with those you are familiar with.<\/p>\n Instincts.<\/p>\n Raw slashin’<\/a> instincts.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Imagine this. You’re fighting a swarm of droolin’ aliens<\/a>. You have a choice between an advanced AKzVROOMzerg 19281 rifle with 1029 technicolored (and beautifully gradient<\/a>) buttons you don’t understand but can wipe out 200 aliens in one blow. <\/p>\n Or an old used knife purchased in eBay<\/a>. <\/p>\n If aliens are miles away you might try fidgeting with the rifle.<\/p>\n Read the effin’ manuals perhaps.<\/p>\n But if the aliens are just three feet away you’d grab the knife.<\/p>\n Instincts dictate you do do so. <\/p>\n (I know humans learn something from watching Rambo films<\/a>. (Charlie Sheen spoof film<\/a> included.))<\/p>\n FoxPro is that knife.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Going back to that project and aliens aside, I did retain the structure of the old databases. <\/p>\n Besides it contains a lot of data already. <\/p>\n I carefully imported them into independent FoxPro tables.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n Fast forward to June 2007 and 8 clients later… I’ve decided it’s about time for an upgrade.<\/p>\n There were of course updates… fixes and all on version 1.00 but I want a major change.<\/p>\n Including a rehaul of those imported databases.<\/p>\n A complete restructure from top to bottom.<\/p>\n I don’t feel like I’m that ultra-bionic coder anymore but I did learn a lot.<\/p>\n Slashing instincts are still there though.<\/p>\n Plus we have new coding conventions.<\/p>\n And qs and I (who now codes with me (sometimes codes more than me)) have developed new engines. New frameworks.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/img140.imageshack.us\/img140\/2579\/20071127ils2ad4.jpg\")
\nLIBRARY SYSTEM version 2.001 screenshot<\/span><\/p>\n