Impact of Activex and the Internet on Mill Systems, 1998 Process Control, Electrical & Info. Conference Proceedings

Paper companies are concerned about how to migrate legacy software to client server computing. Senior management senses that proper implementation of software technology will gain advantage against competition but know that most client server projects have been failures. Many have resulted in new obsolete PCs on everyone’s desk at horrific expense, draconian controls to keep these maintained, and a rigid “system” that guarantees they stay obsolete. This fight against obsolescence is being waged with ERP software, departmental computers, telephone systems, networks, and instrumentation systems. How can a downsized paper industry take advantage of technology without putting the future of the company in jeopardy? The software business is changing faster, more extreme, and with wider implications than the industries they serve. Every piece of existing software must be rewritten using new software technology. Keep in mind that the Year 2000 problem is not a time problem, it is a software structure problem.

These trends are complex to describe and troublesome to many, but an engineers job is to deal with risks when applying new technology. There is also a relationship between taking risks and benefits. Those users and vendors that elected to move with Microsoft four years ago are riding a wave, a big one and, at least for now, they are on top. The same wave is drowning many competitors, partners, and friends, so they are happy to be riding high but should be concerned as to how to stay there. The formula is simple for the vendors, recognize what the users want four years before they do and build it. For the users, the solution is to recognize that the conversion of mill systems to client server is a massive software project and should be built according to the standards in the software industry, not projects in the paper industry.