[TriLUG] Unisys issue

Fri Aug 20 09:35:44 EDT 2004

YOu are right on!  These guys want a wintel solution.  Their clients all use 
windows, and MS office, so they want a way to query the database and export 
the info to a file that can be opened in excel.

What was your option for screen scraping?

--Jeremy

On Friday 20 August 2004 04:58 am, Bob Evans wrote:
> Well, from '96 to '99 I worked at a large bank in
> charlotte, nc, that ran a "green screen" unix app with
> 750-900 users, hooks into Carmax, 3 credit bureaus,
> data entry in El Paso(actually into Mexico but dont
> say I said that), and they hated it, too. Ran faster
> than a beast, but they wan't a Wintel solution.
>
> They used it for dealer loans. Dealer loan is where
> you get your car finaced at the dealership, as opposed
> to a direct loan, where you go to your bank branch 1st
> and cut a check.
>
> Anyway, this thing ran 24x7, with an average turn
> around time for a loan application of under 5 minutes.
>
> Today they are in beta 13 of the Wintel solution.
> Average time for a loan app: 45 minutes. That bank is
> fast losing the dealer loan market because they
> thought the green screens were ugly...
>
> And before you ask, yes, I said I could screen-scrape
> the green screens to either a web app or windows, for
> next to nothing, but they said thanks, no thanks, kept
> me on for 6 months & a $10K stay bonus, and opted for
> the modern solution.
>
> --- Jason Tower <jason at cerient.net> wrote:
> > i worked on a unisys machine last year that had a
> > hardware problem, it
> > ran unixware and was nothing more than a rebadged
> > netfinity 5500.  come
> > to think of it, it had a bunch of green screen
> > terminals and ran an
> > inventory app.  and they hated it.  wouldn't be
> > surprised if it's the
> > same place :-)
> >
> > jason
> >
> > On Thursday 19 August 2004 23:58, Jeremy West wrote:
> > > I'll get the information you need tomorrow.  I can
> >
> > already tell you,
> >
> > > the system runs unixware, and there are around 8
> >
> > to 10 dumb
> >
> > > terminals.  The server is quite the beast, even
> >
> > though it's only 3
> >
> > > years old.  Yeah ... let me gather more specs on
> >
> > it tomorrow.  Thanks
> >
> > > for the input!
> > >
> > > Jeremy
> > >
> > > On Thursday 19 August 2004 11:49 pm, Bob Evans
> >
> > wrote:
> > > > Jeremy
> > > >
> > > > A little more about the existing system:
> > > >
> > > > Do you have the model number for the unisys box?
> > > > What OS is it currently running?
> > > > Make/model of one of the dumb terminals?
> > > >
> > > > >From that, I can probably tell you what is
> >
> > possible.
> >
> > > > Unisys is the result of the merge of Burroughs
> >
> > and
> >
> > > > Sperry Rand. Their product line spans lowend
> >
> > Intel
> >
> > > > servers, bigger servers running Windows or
> >
> > Linux, and
> >
> > > > mainframes...
> > > >
> > > > I would say you cann run Linux on any of those
> > > > products, with the possible exception of the
> > > > mainframe...
> > > >
> > > > --- Jeremy West <jkwest at rmci.net> wrote:
> > > > > Hello again.
> > > > >
> > > > > Here is my second question to throw out there.
> >
> >  I'm
> >
> > > > > working with a company
> > > > > right now, who use a unisys system and dummy
> > > > > terminals.  (you know the ones
> > > > > with green lettering)  Anywho, they have this
> >
> > system
> >
> > > > > they never use cause
> > > > > they hate it.  I'm currently searching for
> >
> > options
> >
> > > > > as their IT guy.  It's
> > > > > such a nice server that I'd like to keep using
> >
> > it.
> >
> > > > > Can I load linux on it?
> > > > > Do they make color terminal screens?  Would it
> >
> > be
> >
> > > > > easier to buy desktops and
> > > > > connect to an sql server running on the unisys
> > > > > machine?  I realize that I've
> > > > > got to find someway to import the data from
> >
> > the old
> >
> > > > > system into some other
> > > > > format.  I just don't know about software that
> >
> > will
> >
> > > > > fit their needs at this
> > > > > point.  Maybe an internal website with php.
> >
> > The
> >
> > > > > system is for inventory.
> > > > >
> > > > > I have time to think on this, but wanted to
> >
> > glean
> >
> > > > > any info from the vast
> > > > > amounts of experience out there.
> > > > >
> > > > > --Jeremy
> > > > > --
> > > > > TriLUG mailing list        :
> > > > > http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> > > > > TriLUG Organizational FAQ  :
> >
> > http://trilug.org/faq/
> >
> > > > > TriLUG Member Services FAQ :
> > > > > http://members.trilug.org/services_faq/
> > > > > TriLUG PGP Keyring         :
> > > > > http://trilug.org/~chrish/trilug.asc
> > > >
> > > > =====
> > > > Bob Evans        bobevans19 at yahoo.com   (read
> >
> > weekly...)
> >
> > > > alternate        reevans at bbandt.com     (read
> >
> > daily M-F)
> >
> > > > 704 562-7166 (m)
> > > > 704 954-3415 (o)
> > > > 704-882-6214 (h)
> > > >
> > > > There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those
> >
> > who understand
> >
> > > > binary, and those who don't.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > __________________________________
> > > > Do you Yahoo!?
> > > > New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free
> >
> > storage!
> >
> > > > http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
> >
> > --
> > TriLUG mailing list        :
> > http://www.trilug.org/mailman/listinfo/trilug
> > TriLUG Organizational FAQ  : http://trilug.org/faq/
> > TriLUG Member Services FAQ :
> > http://members.trilug.org/services_faq/
> > TriLUG PGP Keyring         :
> > http://trilug.org/~chrish/trilug.asc
>
> =====
> Bob Evans        bobevans19 at yahoo.com   (read weekly...)
> alternate        reevans at bbandt.com     (read daily M-F)
> 704 562-7166 (m)
> 704 954-3415 (o)
> 704-882-6214 (h)
>
> There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary, and
> those who don't.
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers!
> http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail