Mark Rogers Interview

Your background in System Builder
I first got involved with System Builder about 16 years ago and have worked on many SB based projects on all sorts of MV platforms. After years of working without a 4GL, System Builder was a fantastic tool when I first got my hands on it. The most complicated SB site I have been involved with is Hyflo. Hyflo is a nationwide engineering distribution company. We purchased MasterPack many years ago and spent a long time modifying the package to suit requirements.

The reasons for making the decision to move
As a result we ended up with a complex system using over 7000 data files to serve about 8000 SB defined screen definitions. The main reason for moving to a new 4GL was to “clean up” the system. Over the last few years Hyflo have had a number of programmers come and go, and they have left a series of half finished (and half baked) projects in their wake so a major project is required to sort out some of the mess. As SB 5.1 is no longer supported, it was prudent to change platforms.

After a lot of investigation we decided upon Nucleus as the correct route to go. There were several reasons for this, but primarily the decision was based upon the features inherent within Nucleus. As Nucleus was an unknown quantity in South Africa, the owner of Hyflo traveled to the US to meet with Lee and placed an order immediately upon his return.

Since then we have formed Binary Star Africa and now work very closely with Binary Star in the US.

What do you like about Nucleus compared to System Builder
Nucleus (like all good 4GL’s) allows me to develop a system quickly, but it has some advantages that do not become apparent until you are deep into a project.

At Hyflo we have made extensive use of {functions} and styles. So If I need to change the length of a certain type of field, I can change ALL screens within just a few minutes without having to modify every screen separately. It was only after working with Binary Star for quite some time that I realized what a difference it makes having a supplier that a) listens, and b) acts upon customer requests.

I cannot explain the level of service that we have received from Binary Star as I have never had such service before. Having a technology partner that is willing to make changes to their product to allow us to better develop Hyflo’s system is simply fantastic. Even better is the speed at which we receive the changes.

My previous experience is one of “you purchased the product and now you are stuck with it”, but Binary Star really are on the customers side and are continually upgrading their product to meet customers requirements. There are so many good technical points that it is a bit overwhelming…

Separate dictionaries for each script means I can keep my file dictionary clean. Everything is a drill through to exactly what I want to see. This means less jumping around through reams of menus. Being able to define code for true platform independence.

My general feeling is that SB always demanded a linear approach to development, but Nucleus does away with this and allows me to write a more efficient system. Although we are not currently using it, being able to render the same system to Telnet, GUI and WEB based clients is very clever. I recently demoed Nucleus to another SB site. The owner has been using SB as long as I have, and really loves it. After a few hours he said to me that "Nucleus is what System Builder should have been." I expect to receive his Nucleus order early next year.

Your experiences in migrating the Masterpack application to Nucleus
We are not simply migrating Masterpack to a new 4GL. We made a decision to completely review the existing system and redesign it from the ground up. A few of the minor files/screens are ported 1-1 but most of it has been re-architected to take advantage of the latest Universe features. As a result we are making the most of what Nucleus has to offer. I find the 4GL to be a stable platform which does everything I could possibly require. The learning curve is reasonably short, but as with every package you need to spend quite some time with it to produce the best results.

If you would like to discuss anything, please feel free to contact me via email or telephonically on

+27 83 461 4683 or
+27 11 678 5810
email: mark@binarystar.co.za

Regards, Mark Rogers.