IBI's Focus 4th-generation language, DBMS (hierarchical), user interface, batch and online system has been the primary focus (no pun intended) of my entire career in Information Technology.
I was a Focus programmer and applications developer at The Aerospace Corporation for over ten years. I worked with almost all aspects of Focus, with a concentration on ad-hoc reporting and application development. I developed, designed, implemented, and provided end user training for complete Focus systems, as well as for query procedures which accessed data in Focus databases and many other types of files. I also developed and taught Focus Query language classes for end users, and was considered a Focus expert by my peers. I have attended Focus Top-Gun School, as well as many other IBI classes, and I have also attended several of the Focus Users Group national conferences.
In my current eight years at Nordstrom, I was totally involved with Focus programming (until about 6 months ago), this time with a heavy emphasis on Batch systems (in the IBM mainframe environment). I also taught my Focus Query Language class at Nordstrom. I an intensely interested in WebFocus, but I've had little opportunity to use it. I have attended demos and used the reporting environment to run reports off of SQL databases.
| ITEM | LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE |
| Focus Query Language | Expert |
| Master file descriptions | Expert |
| Database design | Expert |
| Modify language | Extensive to Expert |
| Fidel | Extensive |
| Dialogue Manager | Extensive to Expert |
| User-written subroutines | Extensive |
| Focus User Aids | Moderate |
| Extract files | Moderate |
| Talk technology (Modify/Table/File) | Moderate |
| External files | Moderate |
| TED | Moderate |
| PC Focus | Moderate |
| Financial Reporting Language | Moderate |
| WebFocus | Some to Moderate |
| Fscan/Scan | Some |
| Match/Analyse/Graph commands | Moderate |
| Database administration | Some |
| Mainframe Windows | Little |
| Focus EIS/Level 5/EQL | Little |
| Focus Vision | Little |
