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To make a more informed decision about these
obsolete software programs, consider various support issues and
expenses that are directly attributable to the aging software.
Then, when you’re ready to scout for
replacements, you’ll have a few basic choices.
Software Upgrades Option A:
Look to others in your industry for recommendations.
Relative Cost Indicator: $
Attend industry trade shows, talk to others in
your industry and look in trade publications for leads on available
software solutions.
Investigate online resources that may discuss
industry-specific software, such as Internet search engines and
directories, industry-specific Web sites and portals, and
industry-specific message boards or newsgroups.
Software Upgrades Option B:
Contract with a computer consultant to custom design a replacement
from scratch.
Relative Cost Indicator:
$$-$$$-$$$$
Consider hiring a local small business computer
consultant to develop a custom database application, using an
off-the-shelf program such as Microsoft Access.
Make sure any custom application approximates
and improves on the functionality of your outdated software program.
Software Upgrades Option C:
Contract with a computer consultant to help you evaluate various
options.
Relative Cost Indicator:
$$-$$$-$$$$
Retain the services of a computer consultant to
evaluate your narrowed-down list of industry-specific solutions,
from Option A, before you make the purchase decision.
Incorporate this independent, technical tire
kicking as a key part of your overall due diligence.
For many small businesses, adopting a diverse
research approach, borrowing ideas from Options A, B and C will work
best.
Software Upgrades Action Items
Do you have a current inventory of your
company's PC hardware, software and operating systems in use?
How many software applications does your
company still use that were written for either MS-DOS or 16-bit
Microsoft Windows 3.1?
For each outdated MS-DOS-based or 16-bit
software program (i.e. non 32-bit), can you make a list of reasons
to keep using the program?
If you cannot list the reasons to keep
using an obsolete software application, are you aware of advantages
to replacing the program?
Is the outdated software program a
highly-customized, industry-specific application, or an
off-the-shelf more easily replaceable package?
Is the software vendor who created the
program still in business and actively supporting and improving the
program?
Does the software vendor have enough
customers running the outdated version of the program to continue
fixing reported bugs and limitations?
How does the outdated program and data get
backed up? How does this fit into your automated backup system on
your LAN? (See Chapter 6 for cost-saving tips on data backup.)
What kind of security does the outdated
program have? How granular is the security and how does it integrate
with the security database on your LAN?
What would you need to do if you had to
move the program and data to another PC? Do you have adequate
documentation of these steps? When was the last time this procedure
was tested?
How does the outdated software application
work with other data protection tools, such as virus protection,
power protection and firewalls?
If you have multiple geographic locations,
telecommuters or road warriors, what kind of remote or Web-based
capabilities are there with your outdated software application?
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