Perfect Sync is winding down

[David Roberts]

You, sir, are a gentleman - is that a British thing to say?

Not quite, it is an English thing to say and, yes, Eric is anyway.

and I feel for you.

So do I. Eric wrote: "So here I am today, closing Perfect Sync and entering retirement with a lot less money than I should have." That one got to me. I became fully retired a couple of years ago, just before my 70th birthday, and the thought of being owed $125,000 at that time with no chance of getting it back made me shudder.

There has been some good advice given in this thread and some of Paul's suggestions have given me some food for thought. However, the best advice in the world is not going to do much with "Sales have slowed to a trickle – a few per year". What is needed, and for Chris Boss, is for Drake Software to 'pull its finger out' and get something new to the market, a 64-bit compiler, new versions of PBWin and PBCC or whatever. Time is running out. PB's active members is down to 208. 208! Oh, dear. OK, the membership is 3,557 but can all of them be contacted, how many of them are no longer using their original email address?

Looks like you are still living in Traverse City, Eric. Strikes me as a nice place to retire in: The average high temperature in July would suit me but the average low temperature in Jan/Feb would require me to wrap up a little more than I do now, a few miles west of London, England.

[Eric Pearson]

Thanks, David.

Traverse City is a beautiful four-season tourist town on a bay of Lake Michigan. I grew up here, and moving back later in life was a bucket-list item. I love it here but Yes, the winters can be tough.

[David Roberts]

I am a great fan of Google Maps Street View and checked out Traverse City when you first mentioned it a few years back. Before retiring I didn't have a lot of time to spare for Street View but have all the time in the world nowadays. I called back again earlier, it is now viewing their footage taken in Aug 2018. I imagined getting a burger at McDonald's drive-in in E Front Street and then driving up to West End Beach to look out over West Arm Grand Traverse Bay. Average high temperature in August: 77.9 (in old money). Yep, no complaints there. "I grew up here, and moving back later in life was a bucket-list item." I can see why. I grew up in a steel town and would never dream of going back. The people were great, but we started coughing as soon as we opened the front door, had I stayed there I probably wouldn't be writing this.

[Chris Boss]

One area for PB addon developers to tap into is Windows IOT. Why ?

Procedural software design produces leaner and faster apps. IMO more reliable too, since OOP adds complexity to software and debugging OOP based software has more challenges. In an article on Intel's website one Intel engineer actually wrote an article about the mess in tracking code flow in Object based code.

IOT requires the leanest and fastest apps. Powerbasic is a perfect tool for that market.

Another market I am working on is Ontime RTOS-32 embedded OS. It supports a tiny subset of the WIn32 API (no GUI, only console) and it has its own API as well. I am most likely the first ever Powerbasic programmer to actually be able to get Powerbasic to work with RTOS-32. I have a client who asked me to research it and see if I could get Powerbasic to work with RTOS-32. Ontime made a few changes to their runtime (added support for OLE strings) and with the use of a C compiler to compile their runtime into a DLL, I got PB working with it quite well. I am working on my own GUI engine built using VESA graphics.

The point is that procedural 32 bit software development is not dead. There are still markets one can break into.

Another consideration is the coming WOA (Windows on ARM). Microsoft plans on x86 WIN32 emulation on ARM. So what would that mean for a PB developer ? Well, do you really think the bloated Windows software of today will run well in emulation on ARM ? There will be a big performance hit most likely. Now pure WIN32 (or PB DDT) apps written using a procedural style already out perform other methods of coding, so PB apps would likely perform much better than most apps on WIN emulation on ARM.

Microsoft is also working on a cloud version of Windows. Yes, one would be able to run WIN32 apps on an ARM based device (not just Windows) via the cloud. The app would be run using Microsofts Azure in the cloud and the client device won't matter. Imagine running a PB app on your phone ? Might be possible. Again performance will be critical for apps run via the could on client devices. The smaller the app and the faster it runs, the more likely it would perform better in a Windows in the Cloud.

32 bit is not dead. Just need to rethink the market a bit and tap into areas where PB has the advantage. Ontime's RTOS is only 32 bit, so that made PB a perfect candidate for it.

[Kerry Farmer]

Not quite, it is an English thing to say

We distant colonials (150 years distant) are not too worried about such finer points. Perhaps I should have said 'Kia ora Bro' as at least I get that right

[David Roberts]

We distant colonials (150 years distant) are not too worried about such finer points.

I have noticed that on several occasions.

I have just finished both series of 'Top of the Lake' on Netflix. The first season was shot in Queenstown. Checked it out with Google Maps Street View. I love North Wales and Scotland over here in Blighty but, oh boy, do you have some hills surrounding Queenstown - simply awesome.

[Kerry Farmer]

I have just finished both series of 'Top of the Lake' on Netflix. The first season was shot in Queenstown. Checked it out with Google Maps Street View. I love North Wales and Scotland over here in Blighty but, oh boy, do you have some hills surrounding Queenstown - simply awesome.

Queenstown used to be a great place. Mountains, lakes, snow. But a) it is a cold hole and b) it has become polluted with too many foreign tourists! I was camping there once and I froze there one New Years Day when it snowed around the peaks (New Years Day is the height of summer!) Some of the roads around there are legend - narrow and high up!!!

[David Roberts]

But a) it is a cold hole and b) it has become polluted with too many foreign tourists!

With Google Street View I don't feel the cold and the tourists can all speak Japanese for all that I care. The cost of traveling is very reasonable, and I am only 20 feet from the kettle and a bacon sandwich.

I had an interesting couple of hours in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, the other week. I saw a lovely looking lady on her own outside the St Olav Hotel drinking a glass of red wine. It is times like that when Street View falls short.

[Steve Hutchesson]

Eric,

I hope retirement works well for you. When the boredom kicks in you can always go back to writing code. Always a gentleman and a scholar and if that offends you, at least a scholar.

[Kerry Farmer]

With Google Street View I don't feel the cold and the tourists can all speak Japanese for all that I care. The cost of traveling is very reasonable, and I am only 20 feet from the kettle and a bacon sandwich.

Naah they are mostly Australians and Chinese! My wife is spending Easter there - I am not sure of the availability of bacon sandwiches but I will get her to check which will be difficult since she is a bacon eschewing Hindu!

[Dean Gwilliam]

Here is an English definition that fits Eric live a glove.
" Meaning of diamond geezer

diamond geezer means: Noun. A really wonderful man, helpful and reliable; a gem of a man. A commonly heard extension to 'diamond'. [Mainly London use]
"

Here's why

https://www.thejc.com/culture/features/diamond-geezers-and-gold-dealers-hatton-garden-characters-make-a-gem-of-a-documentary-1.55887

Good luck Eric whatever you decide to do and sorry to hear of your plight.

[Gary Beene]

Eric,
Congratulations on your retirement!

When I retired in 2007, before I ever heard about PowerBASIC, I had a plan of things I was going to do, mostly related to just enjoying retirement. PowerBASIC changed things significantly for me. I became heavily involved in programming and the forums and wound up starting a new business in 2018 at age 67. The new work is completely unrelated to the engineering career I'd done all my life.

So while you may be saying goodbye to the old life, I won't be surprised to find that life will shuffle you off to a new career, one that will hopefully keep you involved in the forums, to the mutual benefit of us all!

Thank you for your hard work and time spent on making the forums a home for all of us!

[Mike Doty]

Eric,
I sent you a personal message (as you know.)

Chris,
Why charge $39 once when you can charge $39 a year?
The people using your product will gladly pay such a small amount.
Get paid for your new development and keep everyone happy.

[Ross Boyd]

Many thanks Eric for your SQL Tools. It has been a wonderful time and money saver and a delight to use - and you certainly gave superb and timely support to me personally.

I'm glad to read your true story. It speaks volumes about your core values. It's sad that things didn't work out financially, and its very honorable of you to not go after Bob's widow. That's very noble and shows a ton of class. Honestly, I've always respected the way you've striven to be fair-minded whilst administrating the forums here. Big kudos to you. You have a good conscience.

Thank you Eric.

Maybe Vivian will add an amendment to her Will. I know for certain that "Lannisters always pay their debts", perhaps Zales do as well?

[MARY GIRARDOT]

Thank You Eric for all your hard work and much help given in this forum all these years. So much appreciated!! I am also glad that you came out with what happened to you. Unfortunately I have heard this story through the years more than I would like to. But I am sure it feels good to get it off your chest so to speak. I am sincerely sorry that it happened to you. All the best to you in your retirement years...you deserve it!! Kind Regards, Mary

[Paul Purvis]

Eric. Thank you much for support.
I am going to make that purchase very soon.
I am sure I might need those utilities some times.
In America. A business does not have the same laws consumers have.
To give an example.
There are laws that one can charge for consumers and for non-consumers like
the amount you can charge for interest.
For consumers there are rates of what you can charge.
For a non-consumer, you can charge any amount.
Same goes for services.
You can charge phone services for a certain amount on consumers but any amount to non-consumers.
The list just goes on.
Businesses and other organizations do not have enjoy the same laws as consumers.
Most people buying your product and services are likely not consumers either.
Statue of limitations is different too and very likely the statue of any limitations for business like
transactions have no limits.
Ever heard of the phrase “Buyer Beware”. It sort of goes like that for businesses selling or buying,
basically making transactions or agreements from on business to another.

Your kindness is what likely hurt you financially.
i am usually, all to kind too. So I know the effects.
It usually cost to be kind in many ways. But God remembers all, even when we are not kind
Well I am no lawyer

As far as percentages go on sales.
It does cost to process sales and even keep the dawn records.
But the government will not be taking more than they deserve either on the loss of revenue
if that is some consolation. lol
It does cost a lot to create business and nice to get some of that back.
One of my closest friends yesterday text me that he was about loss his marbles.
I texted him back telling him that I think most people in business feel that way daily, but
it is who we are. Hard to change that huh.
We struggle in our business, there have been more profitable times.
I work harder than I ever have. Change is always among us.

I truly hope the future treats you good. We never know what is around the corner.
So many times I have not liked what did not or did happen in my life.
But I have usually seen an improvement to my life after a fact of change many many times.

But when our efforts do not always go rewarded. It really hurts.
I have to believe we are living and lived in some of the best of times,
and that we can be thankful for.

i am glad to see others giving you words of help.
I really like to see people succeed in honorable professions,
It really helps for others to prosper when that happens even down to gardeners.

My best thoughts to you Eric

[dean goodman]

Dear Eric,

Thank you for all your work with Graphic Tools. (I just made a small donation on shopify for upgrade to SQL toward your future retirement...but dont send anything, as we only use Graphic Tools). First, your graphic tools i have been using for nearly 20 years. All our 2D rendering in our software still works great. Every now and then i still have to go back into the manual to see "new" features we need that were always apart of your software tools and we just discovered them!! I can never thank you enough for your graphic package that has propelled our software to front in the ground penetrating radar world (www.gpr-survey.com). Our small donation is wholly insignificant and we are sorry about the financial problems and sacrifices you made that no one should have too. We are all on the precipice of falling off backwards if PBwin can not progress. I am 60 and do not want to learn a new language and PB has been so useful and comprehensible software i am surprised it could not have grown more. But, it is not always the case that the best things survive and we need to accept that gracefully. I wish the best in retirement and deeply thank you again. If you are ever in Woodland Hills California please come and we can invite you for lunch or dinner any time. And then, in about 2 years, if you are on the Big Island of Hawaii, come see us there....best wishes....

[kunhock Koo]

Eric, I got both of your Sql Tool and Graphic Tools. The Sql Tools to me is such an essential tool, the good old ODBC still is the most reliable and accessible bridge to databases such as mysql etc.

and I am so sad to see Perfect Sync goes.

Incidentally, I am in that family too, of "good programmer but bad business man" so I can really share the same sentiment.

P/S I just went to visit your site to repurchase the Sql Tools.

[Eric Pearson]

All --

Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement. I truly appreciate what you all wrote.

And special thanks to the several of you who purchased new or "extra" SQL Tools licenses! Like I said, I promise to continue to provide the same level of customer support via email and these forums.

-- Eric

[Laurence Jackson]

I want to add my voice of thanks for your contributions Eric. I have never used your tools but I know that you were instrumental in keeping the forums going following Bob's death (didn't realize that you'd actually paid to do so though), for which I am very grateful. I wish you a happy retirement, but I hope to see you still around these forums sometimes - you have so much to contribute for us youngsters (only been using PB since 2006!).