In 2001 when IBM acquired Universe and Unidata when it bought Informix, I thought about how we could differentiate ourselves with a unique moniker. Since both of the databases began with a “U” it was fairly easy to see that U2 was a way to tie the databases under an easy to remember name. I was an Informix/Ardent/Unidata VAR and we need a new name.
A problem arose, however, with this slightly popular band from Dublin, Ireland called U2. Hype, the band, as they were originally known settled on the name U2 in 1978 and they signed shortly there after with CBS Records and came out with debut album called U2:3. So how could we use that name I asked myself?
Oh, but if we used part of the U2 moniker in our name we would be part of Unidata and Universe without a lot of effort, so we thought. Our company officially changed it name in 2004 officially to U2logic, Inc. Around 2006 IBM adopted the “U2” name as well in their branding effort and on their web sites.
U2logic need name recognition and by end of 2006 I came up with idea to create a full screen editor. One of our programmers wanted based on Microsoft’s Visual Studio. I, however, had been to an Eclipse demo that IBM gave on Rational a company they has just acquired. I found the Eclipse platform amazing in it depth and the commitment that IBM gave the open source community in programming support was unsurpassed.
U2 editor was born in November 2006. U2 editor would be renamed to XLr8Editor and was given away free to our U2 community. Our on the fly marketing effort did work. U2logic, the company, is known around the world for the U2 editor we gave away free for 2 ½ years. Over 700 users registered to use the XLr8Editor and we were very thankful for that tacit approval.
U2 database now has one of the premier tool sets in the world. The U2 database is no longer third class when it comes to tool sets for our programmers and users. U2logic has not sit still and continues to improve and extend the XLr8Editor. I should note as well that IBM now supports Eclipse based tools as well for the U2 databases.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Horse Blinders for U2 Programmers
Over the course of many years we have wondered why U2 UniBasic programmers still insist on coding with vi, notepad, ED or AE. The latter two are line by line editors that were developed in the 1980's and are installed with the database. So coding with horse blinders on seems to fit some of our esteemed colleagues.
Many programmers believe ED or AE keeps them focused on what is in front of them, encouraging them to pay attention to the code rather than other distractions. ED or AE programmers are commonly seen to help keep them from being distracted or spooked. See the real Wikipedia explanation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinders and not the satirical piece that was co-opted in this paragraph.
That not to say they cannot do the job or that the job they do does not have value with those tools. The point really here is that some U2 programmers are stuck in the 1980's coding with those tools or have some hybrids that have been cobbled together from various open source projects. Why should we not be programming like millions of Java, C#, and VB programmers that have great tools.
We can have state of the art tools with full screen editors, reserved word colorization, syntax completion, cognitive help, local or database editing, search, local history change log, and version control to name a few of the new features. Bugzilla or other connectors can be attached to some editors an allow you to see what bugs you have to fix or software you have to enhance.
Some enlightened programmers live all day in their tool set and very rarely wander into the world of TCL (terminal control language). Of course, we know a few of them.
Eclipse platform is what IBM, the former owner of the U2 databases, believes is the integrated development platform of the future. Eclipse is used by hundreds of thousands of programmers. There are plug-ins for many languages such as Java, PHP, Cobol, C++, and C# to name a few that come to mind. There are thousands of other plugs-in to do whatever you can think of.
The Basic Developer Toolkit that is part of client software for U2 databases since 2008. The Basic Developer Toolkit is free when you upgrade your database. The other Eclipse developer is from U2logic, Inc. and it is called XLr8Editor. XLr8Editor has been on the U2 market since late 2006.
It time to change old habits and move to the 21st century.
Many programmers believe ED or AE keeps them focused on what is in front of them, encouraging them to pay attention to the code rather than other distractions. ED or AE programmers are commonly seen to help keep them from being distracted or spooked. See the real Wikipedia explanation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blinders and not the satirical piece that was co-opted in this paragraph.
That not to say they cannot do the job or that the job they do does not have value with those tools. The point really here is that some U2 programmers are stuck in the 1980's coding with those tools or have some hybrids that have been cobbled together from various open source projects. Why should we not be programming like millions of Java, C#, and VB programmers that have great tools.
We can have state of the art tools with full screen editors, reserved word colorization, syntax completion, cognitive help, local or database editing, search, local history change log, and version control to name a few of the new features. Bugzilla or other connectors can be attached to some editors an allow you to see what bugs you have to fix or software you have to enhance.
Some enlightened programmers live all day in their tool set and very rarely wander into the world of TCL (terminal control language). Of course, we know a few of them.
Eclipse platform is what IBM, the former owner of the U2 databases, believes is the integrated development platform of the future. Eclipse is used by hundreds of thousands of programmers. There are plug-ins for many languages such as Java, PHP, Cobol, C++, and C# to name a few that come to mind. There are thousands of other plugs-in to do whatever you can think of.
The Basic Developer Toolkit that is part of client software for U2 databases since 2008. The Basic Developer Toolkit is free when you upgrade your database. The other Eclipse developer is from U2logic, Inc. and it is called XLr8Editor. XLr8Editor has been on the U2 market since late 2006.
It time to change old habits and move to the 21st century.
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