Client/Server: A Manager's Guide
Authors: Laurence Shafe
Venue:  (1995)

From the Book:PREFACE: Client/Server: A Manager's Guide is the successor to OS/2 in the Corporate Environment, which was read by over 100,000 people around the world. The widespread success of the first book bears witness to the need for more easily understood, independent, information about what is happening in the fast-changing world of client/server. What started as a minor update has turned into a major rewrite that has resulted in this book.Most of the sections have been rewritten and the book has been restructured to make it easier to follow. I have included details of Microsoft 32-bit Windows strategy and updated the OS/2 section to cover OS/2 2.1 with a discussion of the role of Workplace OS. I have also omitted the section on IBM's AD/Cycle and rewritten the chapters on development tools and project methodology.The purpose of this book is to try to unravel the implications of client/server computing for those organizations wondering whether and how to get started. It is focused on corporate client/server applications that run the business, rather than on departmental support systems. It is aimed at business managers and professionals involved with software applications, as well as IT professionals and users who want to keep abreast of the latest trends and issues.The goals of the book are to help you, the reader:Decide on operating systems for the desktop (Windows, OS/2 or UNIX).Unravel the complexities of accessing mainframe data.See what sort of systems are possible.Understand the risks and advantages of Object-Oriented Programming.Select the best development tools for your business.Plan, design and manageyourclient/server projects.Understand what client/server is really all about.I have tried to state clearly my personal opinion on all the major issues rather the just present a summary of the facts. I have done this because I believe all organizations, large and small, must be making major Information Technology (IT) decisions now to stay in business and be competitive. Making decisions is difficult and I believe it is helpful to hear an opinion rather than just a set of dry facts.The key battles taking place in the market today will determine the standard operating systems of the future, as well as the hardware architecture and the role of the developer. Working in a development tools company has given me a broad perspective of the market. I have seen many graphical client/server applications developed in the financial, industrial, and government sectors. This has given me a view on how this type of development can incorporate the needs of the developer, the management services department and the end-user.I believe that in ten years' time we will look back on the early 1990s as an exciting period. It was the time we started using PCs to integrate all users' systems, the time when important decisions were made and big changes took place.The Major technical decisions that must be made today are the choice of operating system, the way in which data is accessed and the selection of development tools. As you find, I believe that the operating system for corporate client/server applications needs to be 32-bit, multitasking and stable, with good SQL database and communications support.The more difficult and important decision, however, concerns software development tools. Effective software development tools result in systems that achieve business objectives, make the user more effective, isolate the application from the underlying software and hardware and that can be modified and reused as business changes.However, if there is a single message to take out of all this technical analysis, it is to forget it, and focus on the end-user. Choose an operating environment that provides the most intuitive and effective support for their job, use methodologies that are end-user oriented and get on with it.Dr. Laurence ShafeChief ExecutiveIntelligent Environments The ACM Portal is published by the Association for Computing Machinery. Copyright © 2010 ACM, Inc. Terms of Usage Privacy Policy Code of Ethics Contact Us Useful downloads: Adobe Acrobat QuickTime Windows Media Player Real Player