Xbase++ Training
This page provides a description of Xbase++ Training services offered.
Roger Donnay is a developer with over 25 years of experience in Xbase++ and Clipper.
He has leveraged this experience to provide a
training program specifically tailored to the Clipper developer who needs to get up to
speed quickly with Xbase++. Donnay Software is an authorized Technology Partner of Alaska
Software and has worked closely with Alaska Software to develop migration training
materials and a third-party product, eXpress++, which is
designed to aid Clipper programmers in converting text-based Clipper applications to Full
GUI Xbase++ applications.
Roger has used the eXpress++ product and his knowledge in Clipper to personally convert
two large Clipper applications to GUI and to aid in the conversion of dozens more through
a fast-track training program. Whether you choose to use eXpress++ or not in your new
Xbase++ applications, Roger can help you get on the right track, quickly and efficiently.
Currently, Roger is only providing one-on-one training. He believes that this is much more
effective than group training because it is tailored to the customer's specific needs and
will insure that the customer will feel confident that he/she has attained the tools and
knowledge necessary to complete a satisfactory migration.
Here are some commonly-asked questions from Clipper developers considering the conversion
of a Clipper application to Xbase++.
- Do I build a text-based application, a hybrid application or a GUI application?
- How do I handle database concurrency issues with my existing Clipper application?
- How do I deal with the third-party libraries currently being used in my Clipper
application?
- How do I deal with the issues of Advantage Server, COMIX or FLEXFILE?
- How can I leverage the investment in 15 years of Clipper code into a new full-GUI
application?
- How long can I expect the conversion process to take?
- How can I use the Windows print driver system with my existing reports?
- What is the future of Alaska Software? Can I rely upon them?
- How do I convert a Clipper application to Windows without creating Revision Shock?
- How much do I need to know about Windows to create a full GUI application?
- What new skills do I need to develop to become a successful Xbase++ programmer?
- What new tools do I need to acquire to become a successful Xbase++ programmer?
- How do I sell the boss on Xbase++ as the solution to our problems?
- Do I need Xbase Tools?
Roger will discuss these issues with you and help you build a strategy for converting
and migrating your Clipper applications to Xbase++. He will work with you, your source code, your data
and your programmers to give you a leg-up in getting your project off the ground.
Fees for Xbase++ ONE-ON-ONE Training
One-on-one training is charged by the day. The fee for this type of training is the
same regardless of the number of attendees. The smaller number of attendees, however, the
more Roger can concentrate on the specific needs of the trainees. One-on-one training is
tailored to the needs of the trainees and to solving their specific Xbase++ issues.
- At Your Location - The fee for training at your location is (1) $600.00 per day
plus (2) $400.00 per additional day of travel plus (3) travel expenses.
Travel expenses include Air Fare, hotel and car (when necessary).
Example #1: You are located in Atlanta, GA and want training on Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday. It will cost $800.00 for travel on Monday and Friday, plus $1800.00 for the
actual training, plus airfare and 4 nights at a hotel.
Example #2: You are located in San Francisco and want training on Monday and Tuesday. It
will cost $1200.00 for the actual training because travel can be accomplished on the same
day as the training. It will also include airfare however hotel will not be necessary.
- At Our Office - The fee for training at our office in Boise, Idaho is $600.00 per
day. The client is responsible for his own travel costs, however we can help with the
travel arrangements. Because Roger does not particularly relish travelling, he encourages
clients to travel to Boise by offering additional incentives such as lunch, dinner and
fine wine from his personal collection of Napa, California wines.
- Via Tele-Conference - The fee for training via telephone and utilizing
Teamviewer is $60.00 per hour (during the hours of 9:00am to 5:00pm Mountain Time),
or $75.00 per hour (before 9:00am or after 5:00pm or weekends). The client assumes the
telephone costs for connecting to our Meta-Frame server by making a direct long-distance
phone connection or by connecting via the Internet. The client also assumes the telephone
costs for the voice connection with Roger. The client may choose to make it a conference
call with several programmers all in attendance around a computer at the client's
location. A 10-hour session may be broken up into several sessions, for example four 2.5
hour sessions over 2 days. This provides the advantage of allowing for the new knowledge
to be absorbed and for the trainee to use this knowledge before moving on to the next
plateau.
"Roger's 3 day trip to our site shaved at least 2 man months off of a good size
Clipper to xBase ++ conversion. The experience he brought to the table was invaluable.
Several third party libraries needed to be eliminated, and Roger was instrumental in
identifying replacement functions as well as writing new functions. We will be able to
deliver our 32 bit system several months sooner due to Roger's help. Time is money, and we
saved both!
Thanks Roger"
- Jim Graham, Professional Teledata
"For seven months I struggled with Xbase ++. Unfortunately I was not knowledgeable in
Windows, OOPs, or Xbase but I thought I could learn while I worked. This really didn't
happen until I had a few hours with the MetaFrame training. Now I feel like I can complete
my App and get on with other things that I haven't done for seven months. I'm not an
expert yet but I am doing things I had no concept of just a couple weeks ago. I highly
recommend this training for anyone who is struggling with Xbase development, DOS
conversion, etc." - Jim Ruth
"Thanks to the genius of Donnay Software Systems, and specifically their eXpress++
software, My son and I were able to convert 9 years of legacy Clipper code to Windows code
in 3 days!! Thank you Roger for your xBase++ training. I feel we were able to accomplish
in 3 days, what I have NOT been able to do in 3 years with other Windows development
products.
We now have the Windows app that our customers have been requesting to replace our Clipper
application. We are so excited to finally have a Windows app that not only "looks" good,
but affords features that we could not attain with Clipper. The timing couldn't have been
better. After "sampling" almost ALL of the other Windows development systems, eXpress++
for Xbase++ opens the path to other development opportunities for us to achieve the
financial goals needed for the success of our company.
eXpress++ and Alaska Software makes developing software for TODAY'S market, much much
easier, because it only requires us to use the "Clipper" style that we know and are
comfortable with. You have made it possible for us to compete with software that IS object
oriented, without all the fuss of the painful learning curve associated with other
languages. The "Command" language of eXpress++ is the most powerful tool I have ever seen.
Finally we have the products to develop applications the way they should be, using methods
that have served us well for years..." - Bill Broyles, Chairman
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