Bio: Andy Stapleton

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Bio: Andy Stapleton
02-May-2002 -- Susan Pichotta
 
This week's bio features the quintessential Texan, Clarion's own cowboy. An expert in SQL, he's branched out into web work, including co-owning a web hosting company and a new business, "PayWire". A man with quite a diverse past, he now stays busy with his family, his ranch, and his work with technology... and his Harley, of course.
 
Who do you work for?
I own 3 companies, some with partners: Cowboy Computing Solutions which is a long time business I have had, and DB|Wired a web hosting and web ASP development company, and Paywire, a Credit Card / Ach/ EFT processing company.
 
What do you like best about what you do now?
Challenges<g>, Since I do both Desktop and Web development, the bridge from one to the other is a daily challenge. The idea is to give the same functionality and capabilities in a smooth format on the web so both the desktop and web based ASP customers can have the same features and capabilities. Without the ability of RDBMS's this would be almost impossible.
 
What has been one of your biggest challenges in using Clarion?
Knowledge!!! Back in 1.0 Windows is where the use of SQL and Clarion started, in the back yard of one of the head sales guys named Portchelli (spelling is probably wrong), anyway, David Bayliss, myself, Scott Ferret, and several others mapped out how the Prop:SQL statement would work. From those humble beginnings, we have continued to struggle to get more SQL functionality added. With that and creating templates for use with them, it has been a large part of my challenge bucket.
 
What has been one of your biggest challenges in business?
Fighting off the urge for the "latest and greatest". Our industry is bombarded with pressure to use the "latest and greatest beta functionality" out there on the market. We all say we live on the "bleeding edge", and at times that has been the facts of life. When Win 95 was first released, and we were using beta versions of CW, it was quite difficult to figure out what went wrong and where.
 
Most clients want the job done, if they have a IT group, they want the latest tools used to update their knowledge. Most of the time you end up doubling the time on the project because of using "bleeding edge" technology, and then you wonder why it failed.
 
Technology is like any tools in the toolbox, the latest fancy hammer is no good if it takes longer and doesn't hammer the nail in correctly.
 

The CCS, Inc. office in Leakey, Texas

 
Do you use any computer languages besides Clarion?
All of the SQL RDBMS languages, Transact SQL, PLSQL etc... I also use Cold Fusion, ASP, and Ultradev4 for web work. Have coded tons of lines of Cobol, Pro-Cobol, Fortran 77, Pascal (long time ago).
 
When did you start using Clarion?
Tough question.
 
In 1989 I was working for the City of Oklahoma City, doing a water billing system in ORACLE and product called GoldRun. We needed a prototyping tool that allowed us to show a screen shot to the users and let them mess with it. One of the IT supervisors gave me Clarion 2.1 and said try this. It was easy to work with, and also it worked. The code reminded me of several languages I had worked with so it fell into place quite well.
 
After I had done the prototyping, I was asked to build a laptop version of a Contract Negotiations system for the City and I chose Clarion to do it.
 
Wrote a cash register system for the Water Billing office, and one for the Municipal Courts. The Municipal Courts system was the really interesting one; at that time Client/Server was the current "buzzword" of the industry. We had to interface Clarion with VaxRDB for the Courts data, real time, for paying tickets, posting bonds and stuff. So we wrote a C program that would take an ascii file SQL statement, go get the data and return it to an ascii file.

Andy teaching daughter Alisha to ride

 
We created a RAM drive to run that, and I had the Clarion program write the SQL statement, kick an interrupt, and then parse the ascii return file into the Clarion Dat files and display on the screen.
 
It was one of the first successful marriages of PC-Mainframe RDBMS in client/server at the time...
 
That was about the time the first Devcon was held in Florida and I met Bruce Barrington and a lot of the friends I still have today.
 
What's the coolest project(s) you've worked on using Clarion?
So many years in the business, I really think several have tweaked my cool meter.
 
Satods - US airforce, we developed an oracle system that used the Internet before the internet was created by Dan Quail.
 
The Municipal Cash register system that used Client/Server before windows.
 
The SQL templates...
 
I am also working on several Web / Desktop application combos that will be in that arena.
 
But in reality, the COOLEST thing I have EVER done is when I adopted Darlene last year.
 
Have you done anything for a living other than software development?
Yup,
 
I know, more than that for an answer.
 

Don't know why some people call me a barbarian....

I was in the Air Force as a "AirFrame Repair Specialist" IOW a sheetmetal man.

Built Cessna 172's in the factory (3 months, didn't like factories)

Welder

Ranch hand

Breakfast cook at a Sambo's resturant

Bulldogger (steer wreslter) in the rodeo

Manager of a fast food restaurant

Door to door salesman

Worked cattle and horses for ranches in West Texas (more than once)

Bouncer for a strip joint / country western bar

Disk jockey

 
Which really leads to the BIG question, How in the HELL did I ever get into computers?
 
It was 1983/4 and I was running cattle from Big Springs Texas, to Abilene, during this time I would play video games in the convenience stores (Galaga, Astoroids...). It was quite cold with the wind, and I was fussin' about how cold it was, when the rancher that was with me asked if I still had the GI bill. (Editor's note: the "GI bill" is a program for U.S. military veterans, which pays for part of their college/university education.) I did of course, so he told me to go to the Texas State College and see what I could do.
 
I went and took a test there, and was asked what I wanted to do (originally I thought Diesel Mechanic, or something like that), I asked the school advisor what was the video games they had in convenience stores; he said that was "Computer Science". I said, "Let's do that then".
 
That's how I got into computers...
 
What are your hobbies/what do you like to do when you're not using Clarion?
I have 7 horses, 4 cows, one miniature jackass, 5 dogs, 2 Harley Davidsons.
 
So I work/ride the horses, make chalk marks for the butcher on the cows, and ride the Harleys with my wife when we get a chance.
 
Building on my ranch and finishing the house. (Been most of the time building one pen for Belinda's jackass<g>)
 
We are riding our Harleys to ETC this year, and then to Connecticut, it should be quite fun for both Belinda and I.
 
Married, children, grandchildren, other close family you want to mention?
Gorgeous wife, Belinda, and 3 daughters: Leslie 23, Alisha 12, and Darlene 16, and a lot of my friends have met my father and mother (God help them <LOL>).
 
I also have a little brother Johnny, and several step-brothers/sisters.
 
No grandchildren yet, I have told the children not to breed until I felt I was old enough to be a grandfather. Hopefully they will listen. <g>
 
Where were you born?
Bitburg, Germany. My father was in the military (Air Force), and was stationed there. He says he got me back to TX to be annointed as a Texan as quickly as possible.
 
Where do you live now?
Between 2 towns of less than 400 people each, in the hill country of Texas between Leakey (pronounced laykey), and Camp Wood.
 
What's interesting about where you live?
The Hill Country of Texas is one of the most beautiful places in the US, our roads (FM337, FM335, and FM336) have been written in magazines as the "Golden Triangle" for riding motorcycles, and general beauty.
 
I like the small town atmosphere, you get to know everyone, and they you, and you can leave your cars unlocked, and the house also.
 
I live out on a ranch, where my nearest neighbors are a mile away; you can do a lot at night if the neighbors aren't watching all the time<g>
 

Deer in the back yard

 
Have you lived any other interesting places?
Sure, I have lived in Bitburg Germany, (too young to remember), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Bellflower, California (Los Angeles). Abilene TX. Sweetwater TX.
 
But mostly in Texas, my family dates back to before Texas was a country; we have had several Texas Rangers (not the baseball team) in our family history.
 
Which person, from past or present, do you most admire and why?
Actually that would be 2 people.
 
My Grandfather, Louis White: He took me in at 14 years old, (trouble maker), with a wife that had emphysema and he had already had open heart surgery, that took guts (I wasn't necessarily a good teenager<g>).
 
I got lucky and was able to return the favor when he got too old to take care of himself alone, we had a lot of great times.
 
My wife, Belinda: This woman raised a handicapped child through a very trying marriage, and divorce. When I met her, she was

Belinda and Ernie

keeping up 2 jobs, and house/car and raising both her son (Bradley) and Darlene.
 
I have dragged her off to California, Australia and around the world since we have been married (almost 6 years). She has always pitched in and been great companion.
 
Those that have been fortunate to meet Belinda can attest to how sweet a personality she has (despite living with me for almost 6 years). I cannot give Belinda enough accolades for what she has been through and what she has accomplished.
 
I also admire and respect several of the Clarion folks I have had the pleasure of either working with or been friends to:
 
Lee White
Larry Teames
Andrew Guidroz (best man at my wedding)
Dave Harms
Nik Johnson
Stamos (wont even try the last name)
 
to mention just a few.
 
What is your favorite food?
As I say, "As long as it don't crawl off the plate or bite me first, I'll eat it". Probably the reason I am 260 pounds.
 
What is your favorite drink?
Las Trancas Tequila (Y'all Remember that when you're in Mexico and get me a bottle<g>)
 

Belinda and Andy diving

What is your favorite type of music?
This may surprise a few folks:
Country (of course)
Jazz, both Blues and Easy listening
Old Rock, 70's, 80's Bachman, Dire Straights, Boston...
 
I even like some of the new stuff, "3 doors down" and Creed for example.
 
What is your favorite book? Movie?
Actually both are the same, "Lord of the Rings". Frankly all of the JR Tolkien Series.
 
If Clarion never existed, what do you think you would be doing at this time?
I would probably be still working Oracle and Oracle Forms. Or running a cattle ranch.
 
Anything else you want to mention?
Yes, don't move to Texas if you're not from here, we are now the 2nd largest populated state, we're getting tired of Foreigners (that's anyone outside the state line).
 
If you do have to move to TX, move to Dallas, or Houston, most Texans have already given up on those two cities.
 
<BIG GRIN>
 
Seriously, I have had the great privilege of being around this Clarion community for 13 years or so, been part of a wonderful group "Team Topspeed"; watched Clarion for windows grow and mature; met some of the greatest people and friends in the world. I wouldn't trade a single one of them for any amount of money, these are people that have been gracious enough to open their doors to others they have only met on email and show the wonders and greatness of their country or state. (One even stole a menu for Belinda's scrap book).
 
I have dozens of stories, of Devcons/trips; people I have met, and became friends, the forum Wars<g>, developers/business associates that I have had the fortune to be around, I can't tell them all; but each is a fond memory that I will cherish.
 
If anyone is in the neighborhood, drop by, we'll throw a steak on the grill and have a margarita.
 

Andy and Belinda out for a ride

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Clarion Magazine ISSN 1718-9942