Migrating Paradox/DOS applications to Windows. (system conversion at Public Service Electric and Gas utility in the Northeast United States)(includes related article on how to program incrementing fields) (Tutorial)

Everybody seems to be talking about moving to Windows these days. Before you decide to port DOS applications to Windows, you should first consider the reasons why you want to do so and the issues involved. Moving to Windows isn't simply putting a pretty new face on your application; it has its distinct advantages. Windows programming also has a learning curve and forces you to rethink your traditional approach of building user interfaces. This article describes how and why one company chose to start development of a prototype using Paradox 4.0 then complete the application using Paradox for Windows.

PSE&G and energy conservation

Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), a major utility in the Northeast, delivers electricity and gas to more than three million residential and a half million industrial and commercial customers. PSE&G is currently involved in the implementation of a comprehensive Demand Side Management (DSM) Resource Plan to stimulate energy conservation for its customers. As the name implies, DSM promotes energy conservation on the demand side of the meter by offering financial incentives to the consumer for using energy more efficiently. PSE&G has been involved in DSM for more than 15 years, but this is a large-scale effort to spur conservation across all segments of its customer base. Implementing the DSM plan is the responsibility of the Demand Side Management Department, a team of engineers specializing in conservation management. The Department is also charged with overseeing the project and putting in place a computer system to manage the operational details of the DSM plan including tracking of energy savings and corresponding payments to participants.

A win/win situation

DSM represents a market-driven approach to promoting energy conservation. In 1989, PSE&G issued a request for proposal to Energy Service Companies (ESCOs) to submit bids for conservation projects. These ESCOs specialize in saving energy at large companies by replacing old lighting fixtures, motors, and heating/cooling (HVAC) systems with new, more efficient equipment.

For each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy saved at a project site, PSE&G makes a monthly payments to the ESCO for the life of the project, typically 10 years. The utility customer gains by reducing energy costs and acquiring new fixtures with little or no investment on their part. In many cases, the whole cost of the installation process is borne by the ESCOs. PSE&G gains by avoiding the additional costs …