Approaching Omnis again scares me, too much to learn?

[Jim Pistrang]

Hi Das,

I've been following the threads on the Omnis list and feeling your pain - learning all of this on your own with just email support is a truly difficult task.  It is really a shame that you haven't been able to attend any of the conferences over the years, the in-person contact and training are invaluable.

For many years I led a session at the conferences on the transition to V3 DAMS and the built-in SQL using schema and table classes.  I am sending to you the demo library (via a separate email) that I used in these sessions - not the same as being there, but there are a lot of comments included in the code and you might find the examples helpful.

Jim



>
>Hello All, 
>
>I am RE approaching Omnis with a view to becoming a developer/consultant
>to businesses. 
>
>I am completely expert with Omnis and the native database it provides,
>but don't know SQL or anything else, I only know Omnis. I don't know any
>other language at all.  I go back to 86 but haven't done anything for
>ten years.  
>
>It's scary enough to have to learn SQL and how to connect to databases. 
>But all the stuff you guys and gals discuss here and on the other forum
>scares me.  How did you all learn all about Java and Jason and Restful
>etc etc.  How do you keep it straight in your heads? 
>
>My real question is this:  If I could learn SQL and how to setup and
>maintain backends and the connectivity, is that enough to be a
>consultant today?  I imagine right away the next point is that
>businesses will want phone access apps, tablet apps, to access their
>databases and then I'd be looking at Javascript which I don't know. 
>
>At age 57 and reapproaching, I wonder how much time it takes to learn
>these things and begin consulting. 
>
>Are all these fancy other things smaller than Omnis learning itself?  I
>sure hope so.  It took a good while to learn Omnis.  I'm very good at
>Omnis but only Omnis Native.  Don't yet know what a Schema is, but I can
>do notation to control anything, I can do complex interfaces and handle
>complex data.  Just dont know anything else.  Do any businesses still go
>for using the Native Datafile?  With that I'm ready already. 
>
>One reason I want to learn SQL is to earn more.  The businesses for
>which the Native datafile is appropriate are smaller and poorer.  I
>believe you can charge more to the SQL requiring businesses.  Comments?
>
>Is the "Lone Developer" still possible?   You all seem to be in teams. 
>
>Just scared badly.   Any help appreciated. 
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-- 
Jim Pistrang
JP Computer Resources
413-256-4569
<http://www.jpcr.com>