We released Goldenseal 1.0 back in 2000, so the software is now about 140 years old (in software years)! During that time we made approximately 45 updates. We hit every decimal from 2.0 to 4.9, with a few extras in between.
Our previous MacNail program went into retirement at this same age, and we are now making plans to move on from Goldenseal as well. Time to begin our next generation!
The good news is, most of our accounting and estimating code has become polished and mature, and we can continue to use it with minimal rewriting. Most likely, we can keep the same file format, or at least provide an easy conversion for existing Goldenseal data.
The bad news is, our business code sits on top of a basic framework that needs a major rewrite, so we can keep moving forward.
- On the Macintosh, it means a transition from PowerPlant and Carbon to Cocoa, and removal of old code left over from OS 9 and Power-PC days.
- On Windows, it means converting the current QuickTime-based code to Windows-native libraries, for better appearance and performance.
This is a big enough overhaul to deserve a new product name. We are tentatively calling the next generation Goldenseal Pro, but may switch to something different before it is completed.
The framework change will greatly improve the screen appearance, allow us to take better advantage of modern OS features, and insure compatibility with future OS updates. It will also let us start integrating with mobile apps, so it’s easier to run one’s business from anywhere.
More discussion to follow!
Dennis Kolva
Programming Director