Bio: Michael Brooks

Printer-friendly version

Bio: Michael Brooks
20-Mar-2002 -- Susan Pichotta
 
This week's featured Clarion developer is another interesting guy. He used to be a structural engineer, but now he's a tried-and-true Clarionite. And...
 
Think "ClarioNET". (He's the author of ClarioNET. If you're not familiar with ClarioNET, it's one of the coolest Clarion tools around.)
 
Who do you work for?
I work for myself and sell a Structural Engineering Software system under the company name "ENERCALC Engineering Software". I have a BS in Structural Engineering and hold Civil and Structural Engineer licenses in California. I was working in my Dad's structural engineering firm in 1981 and started using Visicalc to develop standard calculation sheets for my building component design. These developed into a large set of spreadsheets that I converted to Lotus 1-2-3 and started selling in 1983. Over the years they were migrated to the "Baler" compiled spreadsheet and then to CW in 1995.
 
What do you like best about what you do now?
Working on whatever I think up. Sometimes I'm obsessed with completing a project and at other times I can play with new ideas. And of course the other benefits of working for myself at home. I am fascinated by what the complex logic of computer programming can do...the possibilities are limitless!
 
What has been one of your biggest challenges in using Clarion?
I am a pure hand coder and so the only "challenge" was learning how to use the full capability of the Clarion language. I still am not good at VIEW's or SQL....that's this years goal. ClarioNET was the most challenging project because I had to learn the detailed behavior of every control and their properties, the ACCEPT loop operation, and how to use TCP/IP.
 
What has been one of your biggest challenges in business?

Sunset, 165 miles out to sea, 1/2 way between Cabo San Lucas and Puerta Vallarta, Mexico

Not developing a product that was a flop. Because of the lead time involved in starting a software project, if it's not successful you've basically lost twice the time....the time to develop the bad product then the time to develop another one. The next hardest is always staying on top of technical support. It gets sooooooo old !
 
Do you use any computer languages besides Clarion?
No. No need.
 
When did you start using Clarion?
I bought Clarion 1.0 in about 1987. Remember the box with all the blue squares on the front? I bought it because it sounded like an easy system for my wife to learn programming. After a quick read and some playing....I was hooked.
 
What's the coolest project(s) you've worked on using Clarion?
The only two I've done.....the Structural Engineering Library (SEL) and ClarioNET. The SEL is a massive system that is now used in 3,500+ engineering offices nationwide for building design, and is my real business. ClarioNET was fascinating because I had to learn classes, TCP/IP, and every little piece of Clarion that effected the user interface. I am now customizing it for the web deployment of my own product.
 
You are the author of the exciting Clarion add-on, "ClarioNET". What was your initial inspiration for writing it?
I wanted to migrate our user base to a server-based solution on a rental basis, so I guess the motivation was financial. I looked at Citrix and Clarion's HTML system and found them both unsuitable. I knew that somehow the Internet Builder Class code (in Internet Connect) was duplicating a window in HTML so I studied the code to see what they were doing it. Basically it was window scanning and ACCEPT loop management. I figured that it should be easy to replace HTML with Clarion properties. That turned out to be true but the synchronization and event management was (is) really difficult.
 
I think that at this time a server based thin client deployment of software is still ahead of it's time for vertical market packages, but I'm giving it a try.
 
When you first wrote it, did you have any thoughts of it becoming a popular third-party add-on?
No..it was strictly for my own use.....and that is my primary interest. Using ClarioNET to deploy my own software will reap great rewards and is my primary focus now. Future versions of the 3rd party ClarioNET distribution will be driven by the magnitude of the Clarion user base's needs.
 
ClarioNET has been acquired by SoftVelocity, and is now being sold by them. How did that come about?
SoftVelocity is the exclusive licensed distributor of the ClarioNET add-on to Clarion. Bob Zaunere called me right after Soft Velocity was formed and said that he wanted to do a ClarioNET type of product way back when Internet Connect was starting up, but management at that time disagreed. We talked and ended up signing a distribution and support agreement with SoftVelocity.
 
Although SoftVelocity owns and markets ClarioNET,

Just to show you folks that I'm serious about ClarioNET.....here's my "farm". (Notice the $50 Home Depot racks in lieu of the $1,000 Dell models)

do you still support it/maintain it?
ClarioNET is "owned" entirely by me along with the ability to offer specialized versions for clients. SoftVelocity provides the technical support, however I try to assist in the newsgroups and via direct email as time permits, and SV support contacts me directly with questions they cannot answer. I've also been working with Bob Foreman at SV with a large program being deployed by ClarioNET.
 
Do you use ClarioNET yourself now?
Yes, I am adapting it specifically to the deployment needs of my structural engineering software. I've got a server mini-farm with 26 application servers, DB server, switches, etc. connected to a T-1 in my home. I'm bringing it on line to (hopefully) host 1,100 simultaneous users. BTW.....ebay is awesome with a T-1!
 
What changes would YOU like to see made to ClarioNET? (What are the chances of them happening?)
I would like to see it integrated into the Clarion runtime. Because ClarioNET relies on properly placed procedure calls in source code there is too much chance for error in deployment. Integration at a runtime level would allow much faster operation with a richer and easier deployment. I can't comment on the chances.
 
Have you done anything for a living other than software development?
As a structural engineer I designed and oversaw the engineering for many office buildings, hospital additions, parking structures, and industrial facilities. But that was in the early 80's. I'm still up on my structural engineering technical work but I don't think I'd feel comfortable designing buildings any more.
 
What are your hobbies/what do you like to do when you're not using Clarion?
Friends, boating, travelling, and classic automobiles. We've had several boats and are very active in Balboa Yacht Club where I've served various officer positions. Catalina Island is close by and we spend a lot of time there as well as cruising in friend's boats (Bev and I have logged about 3,000 miles at sea). We travel quite a bit to Europe and Mexico. I also have three collectable cars that I love tinkering with: '57 Eldorado Brougham, '71 MBZ 3.5 Coupe, and a '73 Corniche Coupe.
 
Married, children, grandchildren, other close family you want to mention?
Married to my wonderful wife Beverly for 8 years, but we've been together for 15 years. No children "yet"...we'll see. Bev is very energetic and we have a huge circle of friends thanks to her. Although I spend a lot time working I love people and feel so very fortunate that we compliment each other.

Beverly, Dudley and I in front of our last boat "Sea Flight" anchored in a cove at Catalina Island, California

 
Where were you born?
Pasadena, California. My great-grandmother moved there in 1905.
 
Where do you live now?
Newport Beach, California
 
What's interesting about where you live?
It is a very beautiful area and the weather is ideal almost year round. I wear shorts 325 days a year. We live on the water and Newport Harbor is a great boating center. However....we're surrounded by hundreds of square miles of metropolitan area and it take a minimum of two hours to drive to "open spaces". So we're kind of trapped...go boating or fly somewhere else.
 
Have you lived any other interesting places?
Nope. Traveled to a lot of them but always like Newport Beach the best.
 
Which person, from past or present, do you most admire and why?
There is no one person really. I guess I value the principles that various people possess. Absolute honestly, respect, and ethics are core principles and I work to be that kind of person. Perseverance I admire and have that trait. Being able to be really in touch with people I admire BUT am lacking in that area. I guess it comes with being technically oriented so much of the day. My wife is my inspiration! I admire and love my parents and grandparents and have 7 friends that are truly exceptional.
 
What is your favorite food?
Anything from the sea, sushi, Lasagna, hearty soups, "the works" pizzas, and anything with starch (rice, noodles, potatoes, etc). Of course chocolate chunk cookies are a staple. I'm not a meat eater (just don't care for it) and am probably closer to a vegetarian.
 
What is your favorite drink?
Water & juice for non-alcoholic. Mount Gay & Tonic, Kettle-One martini, or tropical drinks for serious events. I absolutely love good wine....but it seems that all of my friends wines are so much better than what I buy. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm reading "Wine for Dummies".
 
What is your favorite type of music?
I would have to say "Acid Jazz". For pure listening pleasure I like music without words that has a complex musical story to tell. I can enjoy the genius of the music and my mind can wander. Listen to Carlos Santana Live in Guadalajara 1993, or Jean Luc Ponty. For just plain fun a Jimmy Buffet parking lot party can't be beat. Classic Rock and classical piano concerto's I can listen to all day long. Being a Californian I wasn't exposed to much country western but am slowly understanding and appreciating it!
 
If Clarion never existed, what do you think you would be doing at this time?
Good God bite your tongue! My fellow Clarion users will hate me for this, but the Clarion programming language is so essential to me now that I'd pay anything for an upgrade to make sure the Clarion stayed around. I can't imagine re-development in C++ or Visual Basic. Because I have a "shrink wrapped" product that I continually improve Clarion is so productive it's breathtaking. (I'm not saying this because my relationship with SV).
 
I've tried using templates and the ABC system but find it limiting and I can't imagine not having something in pure source code.
 
Anything else you want to mention?
I want to thank everyone who has caught the vision of what ClarioNET can do and sees it's potential. I also want to thank those involved in the creation and continuing development of the Clarion language because you've made my software business a success !
 
Sincerely,
 
Michael
 

280SE Our prize classic... fully restored 1971 Mercedes 3.5 Coupe. Only about 700 were made!