Here we go again

These storms are getting to be a real drag. It is really annoying to have to call my family in Florida just to ask if they are swimming in their living rooms. This all reminds that I forgot to mention one very important app used by FPL in their dealings with these storms. FGMS (Facilities Graphics Management System) is/was (have not checked) a Smalltalk application that combined Smalltalk, Gemstone (Smalltalk OODMS) and I believe ArcInfo to provide FPL with up to date knowledge of the state of their electric grid. This has to be one of the pioneer Smalltalk apps i.e. at least used by a large corporation. The app was built somewhere around 1988. That sounds crazy. Smalltalk was certainly around. I recall that it was a collaboration between FPL and the University of Florida. Somehow, Gemstone got in the mix. BTW, guess when FPL rolls out their meat and potatoes apps into production? It is not in the Fall :). Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke comes to mind.