Solve : Big banks using DOS?

1.	Solve : Big banks using DOS?
Answer» Hi, I have just been to my bank - one of Australia's largest. The manager showed me his screen. It is in DOS. He says they run 7 systems, but a lot of what they do is still in DOS. How do they cope with networks and interface with other systems? Surely this can not be NTVDM. GeofflAre you sure it is MS-DOS and not the NT family (NT, XP, Vista, W7, W8) command line interface? Having said that, if these are MS-DOS applications running under Windows there are proprietary and free add-ons that ALLOW them to access networks. The manager has spent 20 years working for this bank. He told me that the bank did not want to pay for all their systems to be rewritten at once. This system is to open new accounts (I would think an important part of their business). I do believe that PUSHD works ACROSS networks if you SET them up correctly. EDIT: What program allows (easyer) networking? Might want to look at that.What is PUSHD ?Quote from: geoffl on August 22, 2012, 03:48:00 AM What is PUSHD ? It's a command to change the current directory. Not really sure what it has to do with this, particularly because it's not on DOS systems (rather being a part of the NT command interpreter) Quote This system is to open new accounts (I would think an important part of their business). This is precisely why they are still using the DOS implementation. By updating the software and system, they have everything to lose, and nothing to gain; First, new systems are prone to problems both technologically (migrating old databases,adapting defunct database formats, conversions,ETC) as well as employee-wise, since they would need to retrain their staff to use the new system, and mistakes and problems that crop up as a result of that need to be DEALT with as well. This is no different for things like cash registers, which are equally important for the business of a retail store. Many of them use DOS-based software as well- because it works. usually the way it works in these places is they keep using the software until it no longer meets their needs; either they have new business requirements and cannot change the program because they don't have any of the original devs, don't actually own the software, or a myriad of other things. Once that happens, they then move forward. For example, grocery stores in my area predominantly used a DOS-based system, but I noticed that with the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax, many of them migrated to Windows-Based POS terminals, which leads me to believe the original software was not flexible enough for adding HST to sales, or something to that effect.

Answer»

Hi,
I have just been to my bank - one of Australia's largest. The manager showed me his screen. It is in DOS. He says they run 7 systems, but a lot of what they do is still in DOS. How do they cope with networks and interface with other systems? Surely this can not be NTVDM.
GeofflAre you sure it is MS-DOS and not the NT family (NT, XP, Vista, W7, W8) command line interface? Having said that, if these are MS-DOS applications running under Windows there are proprietary and free add-ons that ALLOW them to access networks.
The manager has spent 20 years working for this bank. He told me that the bank did not want to pay for all their systems to be rewritten at once. This system is to open new accounts (I would think an important part of their business). I do believe that PUSHD works ACROSS networks if you SET them up correctly.

EDIT: What program allows (easyer) networking? Might want to look at that.What is PUSHD ?Quote from: geoffl on August 22, 2012, 03:48:00 AM

What is PUSHD ?

It's a command to change the current directory.

Not really sure what it has to do with this, particularly because it's not on DOS systems (rather being a part of the NT command interpreter)

Quote

This system is to open new accounts (I would think an important part of their business).

This is precisely why they are still using the DOS implementation. By updating the software and system, they have everything to lose, and nothing to gain; First, new systems are prone to problems both technologically (migrating old databases,adapting defunct database formats, conversions,ETC) as well as employee-wise, since they would need to retrain their staff to use the new system, and mistakes and problems that crop up as a result of that need to be DEALT with as well. This is no different for things like cash registers, which are equally important for the business of a retail store. Many of them use DOS-based software as well- because it works.

usually the way it works in these places is they keep using the software until it no longer meets their needs; either they have new business requirements and cannot change the program because they don't have any of the original devs, don't actually own the software, or a myriad of other things. Once that happens, they then move forward. For example, grocery stores in my area predominantly used a DOS-based system, but I noticed that with the introduction of the Harmonized Sales Tax, many of them migrated to Windows-Based POS terminals, which leads me to believe the original software was not flexible enough for adding HST to sales, or something to that effect.

Solve : Big banks using DOS?

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