ICommander may be unique in the world of accounting software in having customers
who have used it for over twenty years.
Our preferred platform for ICommander now is Red Hat Linux. Back in 1986 when the ICommander Menu System was originally developed, Data General mini-computers were used for development. Our multi-user customers were also using Data General mini-computers of various types. PC's at that time ran the DOS Operating System but the ICOBOL language in which ICommander is written enabled running the identical programs for both single and multiple users on PC's. The differences in comparison to the mini-computer platform were handled by the ICommander Menu, Control, and Security System.
ICommander development moved forward over more modern mini-computers and later on to Unix (initially AT&T and later on SCO Unix). We switched over to Red Hat Linux in the late 1990's after testing it and finding that all the familiar Unix capabilities were there plus much more. Linux is very inexpensive but extremely capable due to the Open Source Community having contributed a tremendous amount of free tools to the Linux environment. The Microsoft Windows systems also changed dramatically over the years. Thanks to the ICOBOL support for multiple platforms and adapting to new technology as it developed, we continued our ability to migrate our customers to new systems. We were able to transfer data files from the old systems to new ones including converting the physical file structures as COBOL evolved to add more capabilities.
Most organizations are used to being forced to change accounting software every few years. Sometimes it was due to the software only running on one computer that became obsolete. Other times it was because needs changed and the existing software could not handle new requirements. NOT the case for ICommander Customers.
The demise of the many different proprietary operating systems and the transition to industry-standard Linux/Unix and Windows systems changed the challenges faced in continuing to move ICommander forward. We have met the new challenges and now have most multi-user customers operating on Red Hat Linux. ICOBOL enables us to also run on current Microsoft Windows Systems and various flavors of Unix.
Due to the excellent interoperability of Red Hat Linux and Microsoft Windows systems, we have concentrated much of our recent development effort on extending the capabilities of ICommander on a Red Hat Linux Server with users accessing and using it from Windows PC's. The core accounting application programs continue to work consistently on the platforms supported by ICOBOL. However, the free tools available in the Linux environment that enable easy setup and integration of an Intranet along with many other capabilities have led to developing ICommander capabilities that are only available when a Red Hat Linux Server is in use.
The capabilities that extend ICommander into a very powerful information
management system on top of its well-proven accounting systems will
keep advancing. We expect in ten years to point to customers using
ICommander for thirty years and in another ten for forty years.