Re: Upcoming 2.0 of LedgerSMB

[Gerald Chudyk <..hidden..>]

On Mon, Jul 26, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Joshua D. Drake <..hidden..> wrote:
>>
>> > We *need* at least as an option to provide simple, easy to modify,
>> > preferably from the browser, templates.
>> >
>
> Or is a book keeper for a small business.
>
Small Business as a market means many things to different people. I
would recommend that someone define clearly what the project wants it
to mean and then write the code to that specific definition.

I would prefer to work on a project that intends to solve slightly
bigger problems. I envision an office where there is either a
technical person on staff or on contract with the ability to install
and support LedgerSMB. I also anticipate the office staff will have
sufficient accounting skill to make real management demands of
LedgerSMB. Helping someone understand how to create adjusting entries
in the current system is fine. Explaining an adjusting entry concept
to someone is a waste of time.

Perhaps that will explain my own priorities: First, improve the
database design from an accountants perspective (the ability to easily
lock in and audit transactions), and then a large supply of standard
accounting report templates. Without a drastically improved database
design, the reports I envision will be difficult or impossible to
create. I suspect the current design evolved from someones vision of a
spreadsheet on steroids. In fact it I'm willing to bet a virtual
nickel that the original incarnation was a spreadsheet. This model
needs a wholesale change. Forget about increments.

Obviously I am not in a position to dictate anything. Nor do I want
to. I'm just expressing a perspective that I though I found in the
system before I began to study it in more detail. The system is
rapidly running out of steam at the client I have installed it on.
Instead of spending a few thousand to improve this product they have
elected to spend ten's of thousands on a commercial product that is
common to their industry. What can I say. It's their money. And they
have never even heard of LaTeX or any other scripting language. They
call me about every little thing. I will not miss that part.


Gerald.