Comments on: MSA memories — the basics http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/ History of software, by somebody who lived it Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:22:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.3 By: David Noble http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-63550 David Noble Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:03:00 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-63550 A great company to work for and a shame it merged with M&D in 93. Dunn and Bradstreet did not know how a software company worked or what they had. It could have been the worlds best to day. A great company to work for and a shame it merged with M&D in 93. Dunn and Bradstreet did not know how a software company worked or what they had. It could have been the worlds best to day.

]]> By: David Noble http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-63549 David Noble Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:57 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-63549 Hi All MSA'ers, I worked in the Sydney office from 1986 to 1993 when the consulting division was disbanded. prior to that I was a client for five years and the President of interact Australasia for 2 years. I am looking for anyone with the implementation methodology, I have some of it but missing bits. any help would be great. all the best for 2012 David Hi All MSA’ers, I worked in the Sydney office from 1986 to 1993 when the consulting division was disbanded. prior to that I was a client for five years and the President of interact Australasia for 2 years. I am looking for anyone with the implementation methodology, I have some of it but missing bits. any help would be great.

all the best for 2012

David

]]> By: Dennis Bell http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-61498 Dennis Bell Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:26:51 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-61498 I have always considered my experience at MSA to be the most rewarding position I held in corporate America. I joined the company in 76 and left in 85. I was part of the development and customer support staff on General Ledger, IE and the Database group. I was honored to be one of the charter members of the King’s Court The King’s Court was the first recognition award given to employees. To win the award you had to be nominated by customers or achieve an outstanding contribution on a technical project. The name originated from John Imlay’s notion that “the customer is king”. It was eventually evolved into the Olympian award. I was at the kick off party where John Imlay brought out the Tiger. As I remember the Tiger was in a uncooperative mood. The trainer was having trouble getting the big cat to do what he wanted. He announced that we should all stay still. The trainer’s crew brought out a bucket of water which seemed to make the cat more comfortable. I was at a table not far from the dance floor and was thinking that the Tiger could cover the distance between him and my table very quickly if he decided he was hungry instead of thirsty. The trainer was able to get the tiger off the stage without incident. I wasn’t aware that a lady had been bitten when they were loading the Tiger into its travel cage. The article stated that the MSA applications only ran on IBM hardware. That not true of all the applications. The General Ledger system also ran on Burroghs, Honewell, and DEC. It also could be run on VSAM, IMS, IDMS, or ADR Datacom DBMS. They were very clever in GL using a source code management technique that kept 90% of the COBOL code identical between all those systems. Several years after I left MSA I was the manager of the financial systems at Shaw industries in Dalton Georgia. Part of my responsibilities was to replace their General Ledger system which was running on Bull/Honerywell. It was astounding to learn that the system to be replaced was developed by the pre 70s Management Science Atlanta company. Shaw certainly got it monies’ worth out of that G/L system. I have always considered my experience at MSA to be the most rewarding position I held in corporate America. I joined the company in 76 and left in 85. I was part of the development and customer support staff on General Ledger, IE and the Database group.

I was honored to be one of the charter members of the King’s Court The King’s Court was the first recognition award given to employees. To win the award you had to be nominated by customers or achieve an outstanding contribution on a technical project. The name originated from John Imlay’s notion that “the customer is king”. It was eventually evolved into the Olympian award.

I was at the kick off party where John Imlay brought out the Tiger. As I remember the Tiger was in a uncooperative mood. The trainer was having trouble getting the big cat to do what he wanted. He announced that we should all stay still. The trainer’s crew brought out a bucket of water which seemed to make the cat more comfortable. I was at a table not far from the dance floor and was thinking that the Tiger could cover the distance between him and my table very quickly if he decided he was hungry instead of thirsty. The trainer was able to get the tiger off the stage without incident. I wasn’t aware that a lady had been bitten when they were loading the Tiger into its travel cage.

The article stated that the MSA applications only ran on IBM hardware. That not true of all the applications. The General Ledger system also ran on Burroghs, Honewell, and DEC. It also could be run on VSAM, IMS, IDMS, or ADR Datacom DBMS. They were very clever in GL using a source code management technique that kept 90% of the COBOL code identical between all those systems.

Several years after I left MSA I was the manager of the financial systems at Shaw industries in Dalton Georgia. Part of my responsibilities was to replace their General Ledger system which was running on Bull/Honerywell. It was astounding to learn that the system to be replaced was developed by the pre 70s Management Science Atlanta company. Shaw certainly got it monies’ worth out of that G/L system.

]]> By: Charlie Bourland http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-60500 Charlie Bourland Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:45:06 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-60500 The company I co-founded was called Computer Systems and Education Corp in Hartford, CT. In the mid-60s we ran a service bureau for small companies and developed most of the financial systems they required to run on a batch processing basis. We then started a programming school with campuses in Hartford, Boston and Providence. We had 1,000 fully matriculated students. The service bureau hired the best students and placed the others in insurance companies and others. The students working with experienced businessmen and programmers took the original Accounts Receivable package and turned it into a (then) world class product. It was sold to many large companies such as Columbia Records, Security Pacific Bank, etc. Finally it was sold to MSA and became their A/R 70s package. The company I co-founded was called Computer Systems and Education Corp in Hartford, CT. In the mid-60s we ran a service bureau for small companies and developed most of the financial systems they required to run on a batch processing basis.

We then started a programming school with campuses in Hartford, Boston and Providence. We had 1,000 fully matriculated students. The service bureau hired the best students and placed the others in insurance companies and others.

The students working with experienced businessmen and programmers took the original Accounts Receivable package and turned it into a (then) world class product. It was sold to many large companies such as Columbia Records, Security Pacific Bank, etc.

Finally it was sold to MSA and became their A/R 70s package.

]]> By: Michael Rakoff http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50835 Michael Rakoff Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:47:58 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50835 Hi all - I stumbled accross this website and it brought a smile to my face; back in time when people were truly key. I made a career as a self-employed MSA application consultant from the late 80's (Toronto) until the early 2000's (NC,US). My claim-to-fame was I could do it all: installs, support, modifications. Plus I knew all the apps, security, IE, etc.,... What made my job easy was the great MSA support staff (Hotlanta Help Line), plus the great installers I shadowed on those 12 consecutive hour exercises that rivaled any of those reality endurance TV shows. Hate to sound old, but software development hasn't improved in leaps and bounds, despite all the certifications, PMPs etc.,.... And when it comes to application design, I still use the MSA base model. Hi all – I stumbled accross this website and it brought a smile to my face; back in time when people were truly key. I made a career as a self-employed MSA application consultant from the late 80′s (Toronto) until the early 2000′s (NC,US). My claim-to-fame was I could do it all: installs, support, modifications. Plus I knew all the apps, security, IE, etc.,…
What made my job easy was the great MSA support staff (Hotlanta Help Line), plus the great installers I shadowed on those 12 consecutive hour exercises that rivaled any of those reality endurance TV shows.
Hate to sound old, but software development hasn’t improved in leaps and bounds, despite all the certifications, PMPs etc.,….
And when it comes to application design, I still use the MSA base model.

]]> By: kathleen ann farrell http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50467 kathleen ann farrell Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:37:37 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50467 I was trying to find a friend of my back then who worked for GEAC. His name is Paul Oeuvre and I met him when I worked at Informer/GEAC. He was living sometimes in Vancouver, Canada and sometimes in LA. Does anyone know of him? I would really like to find him. I was trying to find a friend of my back then who worked for GEAC. His name is Paul Oeuvre and I met him when I worked at Informer/GEAC. He was living sometimes in Vancouver, Canada and sometimes in LA. Does anyone know of him? I would really like to find him.

]]> By: kathleen ann farrell http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50466 kathleen ann farrell Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:35:41 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-50466 Hello all. I was so young and I was administrative support for the sales staff (including Debbie Gallagher). Flip Fullman hired me back in about 83. I was in the Santa Monica office and my goodness, did we all party. We used to go up to Lake Arrowhead once a year for our kick-off party....I wrote a very beautiful song on Lake Gregory on one of those events. I was the office musician and I actually sang for my whole office on that one particular retreat. I remember Ken McCrocklin, Bill Dominguez; Don House; gosh, we even had a salesperson (magician) who used to perform at the Ice Castle...can't remember his name...Gayle Grace was administrative support, Hello all. I was so young and I was administrative support for the sales staff (including Debbie Gallagher). Flip Fullman hired me back in about 83. I was in the Santa Monica office and my goodness, did we all party. We used to go up to Lake Arrowhead once a year for our kick-off party….I wrote a very beautiful song on Lake Gregory on one of those events. I was the office musician and I actually sang for my whole office on that one particular retreat. I remember Ken McCrocklin, Bill Dominguez; Don House; gosh, we even had a salesperson (magician) who used to perform at the Ice Castle…can’t remember his name…Gayle Grace was administrative support,

]]> By: Peggy Taylor http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-47386 Peggy Taylor Wed, 27 Oct 2010 23:54:32 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-47386 My employee record with MSA was the time period 1969 thru 1987. Worked as secretary to Bill Graves, who hired me, to John Arnold who left the company shortly before I did. Wonderful, wonderful years and an excellent place to work. Received all three pins: silver, gold and diamond and went to all the company parties and seminars. Loved all the great people that comprised MSA at that time. Fond memories. My employee record with MSA was the time period 1969 thru 1987. Worked as secretary to Bill Graves, who hired me, to John Arnold who left the company shortly before I did. Wonderful, wonderful years and an excellent place to work. Received all three pins: silver, gold and diamond and went to all the company parties and seminars. Loved all the great people that comprised MSA at that time. Fond memories.

]]> By: John Collmer http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-47107 John Collmer Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:47:08 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-47107 I'm working on a conversion project of MSA's accts Rec system, I'm looking for any source, file layouts, copybooks, program compile listings. I’m working on a conversion project of MSA’s accts Rec system, I’m looking for any source, file layouts, copybooks, program compile listings.

]]> By: John Phillips http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-41844 John Phillips Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:55:27 +0000 http://www.softwarememories.com/2006/02/13/msa-memories-the-basics/#comment-41844 I had the pleasure of being with MSA from 1980 to 1988, and just as so many of you have already stated, it was by far the best company I have ever worked for. The slogan 'People are the key' had quite an impact on all of us. It certainly made me feel that I was a big part of the success of the company - when it was successful. I agree with Rick Page that when we went public, it was the downfall of a great company. It seemed that we lost the focus at that point. It wasn't our greed driving us, it was the stockholders greed. Spending about 2 years at the Southern Region with Jeff Fisher and Ferrall Summerell was the best. Mostly, I was out of my plush office onsite in client land assisting the clients with the installs. This was a great unforgettable experience. I could always count on an interesting trip. Every trip to the client was different and usually an entertaining excursion, nothing was usual. Texas to Virginia, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean was our region. GL, HR, AP, AR, FA, and the infamous Financial Forecasting and Modeling were the reasons we went on these trips. I remember one trip to Mexico City I will never forget. It was about 1982 and the financial transaction for the software had not been made, so I packed up the software and set it aside. Bill Graves was to call me when the software was paid for and off to the airport I would go. I arrived at Mexico city late in the evening, and checked in at the hotel. About 1:30am, my bed started to shake. I thought I hit some of the switches by the bed in my sleep, so I turned on the lights. The bed was still shaking and I peered into the closet where I had left the door open. My clothes were swinging back and forth! I opened the curtains on my 14th floor room, and I saw big pieces of the buildings across the street falling! People were screaming! It was an earthquake! 6.9 Richter. I survived by standing in the doorway, it all subsided completely in about an hour. There was not much damage to my hotel. When I met the client the next morning, of course everything was in disarray. We wondered if we could finish installing 4 products in the allotted time. I was ready to pull the plug for this week, but the client promised that there would be no more earthquakes. Why did I believe him? And the parties! I remember on the 2nd floor after 4 o'clock, the education center was having the cocktail hour, and everyone was invited to come by and say hi to the clients who were there for a class. And Interact! The party on steroids with entertainment provided by John Imlay and crew. Unbelievable! Oh, and I'll never forget the kickoff parties, at the Fox and other great venues. So John Imlay and crew would take this gig on a roadshow around the world! I would like to hear stories about that. But let's not forget those summer days at Big Canoe, sipping drinks standing in the pool after a hard days brainstorming. My days at Corporate were not that much different. Work hard, party hard. Late nights, early days, it was all fun (that sounds somewhat sick). Assigned to the Product Packaging Group gave me exposure to a great bunch of technical folks in all the product groups. My contacts in the regions expanded. The ISP utilities and development utilities became my reason for being there and it was great. I remember partying on the lawn and here comes a jeep with John Imlay dressed as a general AKA Patton style. The videos like the 'Packaging Zone' are still in my library! I could go on and on about how great it was, but this is getting too long already. I really just wanted to say hi to all my old friends and reminisce a bit. I had the pleasure of being with MSA from 1980 to 1988, and just as so many of you have already stated, it was by far the best company I have ever worked for. The slogan ‘People are the key’ had quite an impact on all of us. It certainly made me feel that I was a big part of the success of the company – when it was successful. I agree with Rick Page that when we went public, it was the downfall of a great company. It seemed that we lost the focus at that point. It wasn’t our greed driving us, it was the stockholders greed.
Spending about 2 years at the Southern Region with Jeff Fisher and Ferrall Summerell was the best. Mostly, I was out of my plush office onsite in client land assisting the clients with the installs. This was a great unforgettable experience. I could always count on an interesting trip. Every trip to the client was different and usually an entertaining excursion, nothing was usual. Texas to Virginia, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean was our region. GL, HR, AP, AR, FA, and the infamous Financial Forecasting and Modeling were the reasons we went on these trips.
I remember one trip to Mexico City I will never forget. It was about 1982 and the financial transaction for the software had not been made, so I packed up the software and set it aside. Bill Graves was to call me when the software was paid for and off to the airport I would go. I arrived at Mexico city late in the evening, and checked in at the hotel. About 1:30am, my bed started to shake. I thought I hit some of the switches by the bed in my sleep, so I turned on the lights. The bed was still shaking and I peered into the closet where I had left the door open. My clothes were swinging back and forth! I opened the curtains on my 14th floor room, and I saw big pieces of the buildings across the street falling! People were screaming! It was an earthquake! 6.9 Richter. I survived by standing in the doorway, it all subsided completely in about an hour. There was not much damage to my hotel. When I met the client the next morning, of course everything was in disarray. We wondered if we could finish installing 4 products in the allotted time. I was ready to pull the plug for this week, but the client promised that there would be no more earthquakes. Why did I believe him?
And the parties! I remember on the 2nd floor after 4 o’clock, the education center was having the cocktail hour, and everyone was invited to come by and say hi to the clients who were there for a class. And Interact! The party on steroids with entertainment provided by John Imlay and crew. Unbelievable! Oh, and I’ll never forget the kickoff parties, at the Fox and other great venues. So John Imlay and crew would take this gig on a roadshow around the world! I would like to hear stories about that. But let’s not forget those summer days at Big Canoe, sipping drinks standing in the pool after a hard days brainstorming.
My days at Corporate were not that much different. Work hard, party hard. Late nights, early days, it was all fun (that sounds somewhat sick). Assigned to the Product Packaging Group gave me exposure to a great bunch of technical folks in all the product groups. My contacts in the regions expanded. The ISP utilities and development utilities became my reason for being there and it was great. I remember partying on the lawn and here comes a jeep with John Imlay dressed as a general AKA Patton style. The videos like the ‘Packaging Zone’ are still in my library!
I could go on and on about how great it was, but this is getting too long already. I really just wanted to say hi to all my old friends and reminisce a bit.

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