Is that quicksand in your cubicle...or are you just stuck?

"Dang, now we are in trouble..." - Taggart, Blazing Saddles (1974)

In that opening segment of Blazing Saddles, poor Bart and Charlie find themselves stuck in quicksand.

But what does a 34-year old satirical Western comedy film have to do with you and your application?

Well, you might use Taggart's line when you realize you can't give your business users what they need. Or you can imagine yourself in your cubicle, stuck in quicksand, unsure how to get started.

But you don't have to be stuck, the Application Modernization process has three possible phases - Upgrade, Migrate and Transform.

• Upgrade - Loading OpenEdge 10 and deploying it without making any code changes
• Migrate - Adding in new capabilities without making major architectural changes
• Transform - Using new capabilities and new approaches to change the architecture

The difference between each phase is the amount of effort you put into it. The more effort you put into your application, the greater value you will get out of it.

To start climbing out of your quicksand pit, follow these steps:

1. Define your top business priorities - what does the business need to do (or not do) to be successful - next month and in the next year(s)
2. Research new capabilities - what is new in OpenEdge that can help you? (Hint: Search on Upgrade, Migrate and Transform on PSDN Online)
3. Review the common Application Modernization strategies - to determine what solutions are best for you. (If you don't know what they are, then you must have missed our Modernization webinar).
4. Determine what the right level of effort is for you - just the right amount to maximize the value to your users
5. Define an incremental plan that works for you - so you can determine the pace and priority

With this proven approach, you can get your foot on the rail and start climbing out of the quicksand.

And if anyone knows how to get quicksand out of a keyboard, please let us all know.