Subject: From: Date:

Re: [ECS] general comments about ECS Bill Walters Tue, 14 Nov 2000 10:01:59 -0600

Tue, 14 Nov 2000 10:01:59 -0600

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Max,

You can ask anyone here on the list, or call Mark, and they'll tell you I was one --frustrated--
beginner.  I have a little programming background, but only as a tinkerer....

I just couldn't get the initial "hang" of ECS and found the documentation, while technically
very accurate, it was, well, technical...  I'm more of a visual person and need examples...
 When I started, there wern't any in the ECS manual...  However, both Mark and this
list came to the rescue in spades...  I've been happily using for over 3 years now (and
on my 2nd house).

I haven't tried any other packages - ECS offers everything I could ever want/need. 


Give it another try and I think if you spend some time with it, you'll be pleased that
you did.

Bill Walters

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: JoAnne Letkeman 
  To: ecs-list@netbloc.com 
  Sent: Monday, November 13, 2000 12:08 PM
  Subject: [ECS] general comments about ECS


  Hi All,
   
       Some time ago (over a year probably) I gave ECS a try and
  found it didn't work well for me.  I found it very confusing trying
  to get rid of the default functions without disabling the whole thing
  and could never get the newly written functions to work the way I
  wanted.  Being an embedded programmer, I always wanted to 
  "write the code" instead of being forced to do it the ECS way and
  I had an existing graphical interface that displayed a floor plan of
  the house with doors and window states being displayed.  After
  getting ECS to interface to a VB program through the DDE link,
  I finally gave up because the whole thing seemed too dis-jointed.
  I told myself that it would be easier to just write the whole thing
  myself and erased ECS.  Since then I have continued to follow
  this mailing list and have noticed a lot of very enthusiastic people
  with what sounds like some great ideas and after a year or so
  I still haven't gotten around to writing my own system.  
    My point in writing this is to find out if others have found the
  ECS system difficult at first but stuck with it despite their 
  "do it myself" attitude?  I'm considering giving ECS another
  try but would like to know whether the average ECS user knows
  anything about programming and maybe it is easier for them
  to figure out because they don't have pre-conceived knowledge
  or ability (in programming)  This in no way is meant as a slur
  or meant to start a flame war.  Or maybe like all things worth
  doing right, it takes time and patience to learn and spending a few
  hours isn't enough??  Comments??

  Sincerely,
  Max

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----- Original Message -----

From: JoAnne Letkeman

To: ecs-list@netbloc.com

Sent: Monday, November 13, 2000 12:08 PM

Subject: [ECS] general comments about ECS

Hi All,
 
     Some time ago (over a year probably) I gave ECS a try and
found it didn't work well for me.  I found it very confusing trying
to get rid of the default functions without disabling the whole thing
and could never get the newly written functions to work the way I
wanted.  Being an embedded programmer, I always wanted to
"write the code" instead of being forced to do it the ECS way and
I had an existing graphical interface that displayed a floor plan of
the house with doors and window states being displayed.  After
getting ECS to interface to a VB program through the DDE link,
I finally gave up because the whole thing seemed too dis-jointed.
I told myself that it would be easier to just write the whole thing
myself and erased ECS.  Since then I have continued to follow
this mailing list and have noticed a lot of very enthusiastic people
with what sounds like some great ideas and after a year or so
I still haven't gotten around to writing my own system. 
  My point in writing this is to find out if others have found the
ECS system difficult at first but stuck with it despite their
"do it myself" attitude?  I'm considering giving ECS another
try but would like to know whether the average ECS user knows
anything about programming and maybe it is easier for them
to figure out because they don't have pre-conceived knowledge
or ability (in programming)  This in no way is meant as a slur
or meant to start a flame war.  Or maybe like all things worth

doing right, it takes time and patience to learn and spending a few

hours isn't enough??  Comments??

Sincerely,
Max

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