Copyright: Visual Help Copyright® 1993 Firas Bushnaq


Contents

How to use "The Rate Calculator"

Registration information

Revision History

The Story

The Future

Thank you

How to contact Forward™ Software Development


Instructions

1	Select the unit of time that will act as the base for the calculations by moving the cursor to that field.  Either click in the field with the mouse or tab to the desired field with the {TAB} keys.

2	Enter a value in the base time field.  As you type the calculations will occur automatically.  No pressing of {ENTER} or button clicking is required.

That's all there is to it.

Related

The Story


The Story

"The Rate Calculator" was born one day while I was talking on the phone to a prospective client.  She was throwing out possible rates with all sorts of different time bases.  I knew that RateA in TimeBaseA did not equal RateB in TimeBaseB just by using simple mathamatical rules, but I couldn't really press the issue because things were happening quickly and I couldn't nail down exact conversions into a base unit that I wanted to work with.  (Actually I probably wouldn't have pressed the issue even if I had exact data because that's not good business. but it would have been nice to know...).

As soon as I hung up the phone I said to myself, "I wish there were something that allowed me to do conversions on the fly."  I checked Cserve, but didn't really find anything quite to my liking so I decided to build a little app for myself.  I built the guts of "The Rate Calculator" and really liked it.  I decided that others might find it useful so I slapped on a coat of paint and dressed it up in its best Sunday duds and here it is.

Let me outline the goal of the application as I built it and you can keep them in mind as you use the application.

•	Convert any major base unit of time into all other standard units on-the-fly with the least amount of user movents.

In other words my goal was speed over accuracy.

The first thing that my peers point out is that they would like to have the assumptions be user definable.  I couldn't agree more and have it noted, but it wasn't a major concern for my version because I built it for a specific environment.  What I say to my peers on that suggestion is if the response warrants then I will add the feature.

Related

The Future


The Future

This part is really up to you.  It all depends what kind of response and feedback I get about this application.  The application currently meets all the specifications that I set down during design and development.

 If I hear and see that people are interested I could see the application maturing and adding features such as these.

•	User defined time variables

•	Paper and file output

•	More sophisticated breakdown calculation

•	User defined calulation screens

•	More bells and whistles <g>

The next version is currently dormant, but registered users will, of course, be notified as soon as something is in the works.


Registration Information

What registration gets you

•	Registered version of the .EXE that does not contain the opening splash screen delivered via E-mail or physical mail (see note in Compuserve E-mail section below)

•	Inclusion in the registered user database which will allow me to keep you notified of any information concerning "The Rate Calculator"

•	Technical support via Compuserve

How to register

The Rate Calculator can be registered by E-mail or by physical mail.

Compuserve (E-mail)

Go to the Compuserve Shareware Registration Forum (GO SWREG) and register item number 2536.  I will E-mail you a registered version of the .EXE file that does not contain the opening splash screen.  If you do not want the file E-mailed, but rather sent on disk by physical mail please send Forward Software Development and check for $2.00 to cover materials, postage and handling.  The disk version sent via the mail contains all the files needed to run the application and a Windows based installation program.

Physical Mail

Click on the "Ordering Worksheet" button from the 'About' screen.  Fill in the appropriate information and then print the order form by pressing the 'Print Order Form' button.  Mail the order form to Forward Software Development along with your registration fee.

Why you should register

This is where I get to lecture you in Shareware 101, "The Philosophy of Shareware," but I'll spare you this time.  I think we've all read it a thousand times and if it hasn't sunk in by now probably isn't going to.

I will give these quick thoughts though:

•	Most software is not meant to be freeware and shouldn't be.  In our society time and money cannot be separated.  The very fact that you have had interest in this product tells me that you probably understand the time/money connection.

•	I developed this package over a noncontinuous period of time, but if I added it all up I'd say that it probably took about twelve hours total.  I'm asking $5 for this program.  If you do the math on that one you'll find that my rate comes out to about 42 cents per hour.  That's a pretty good deal how ever you look at it.  By the way, don't try to hire me for contract work at that rate because it probably won't happen.  My point is that there aren't many places where you can get a useful product for that kind of price.


Revision History

Version 1.0

•	Initial release


Thank you

On behalf of Forward™ Software Development I would like to thank you for taking the time to look at this application.  It's been useful for me and I hope it meets your needs too.  If you like the application and use it please register it.  I love to program and am always coming up with new applications both large and small to fill a void.  If I know people like them then I consider that when developing and write the program with flexibility in mind.

If you have any questions about this application, Forward Software Development or just wish to make a suggestion then please feel free to drop an E-mail to Andrew Baerst [FSD] 72154,773 on Compuserve.

Have a good day.

Related

Registration Information

How to contact Forward™ Software Development


HOW TO CONTACT FORWARD
How to contact Forward™ Software

E-mail

Andrew Baerst [FSD] 72154,773 on Compuserve

Voice phone

909-466-1965


2536

The ID# of "The Rate Calculator" in the Compuserve Shareware registration forum.


5555

The registration ID number for this product in the SWREG forum.


base

A field (yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly) from which all other fields are currently being calculated.  The base field can be thought of as the "known variable" in the calculation.


GO SWREG

The Compuserve command prompt line to be typed to get you to the shareware registration forum.