RECORD ATTENDANCE AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS DISTINGUISH PORKSHOP.2005

John McNutt address an enthusiastic audience at PORKSHOP.2005

"Exposed to new ideas."  "Stimulating thoughts."  "The permutations of data analysis are boundless."  "Learn how other producers and accountants are using the program and how you can apply that info to your operation."  These are just a few of the comments we received from the attendees of PORKSHOP.2005 held earlier this month in Des Moines.  Jointly sponsored by the CPA and consulting firm, Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth L.L.P. and FBS Systems, Inc., the seminar ranged from financial benchmarking for LHHP clients to a feed cost control to specific strategies to monitor feed costs, develop budgets, apply management accounting, proof data and track opportunity costs.  The seminar concluded with presentations of three cutting-edge technologies to manage data more efficiently.

FBS-LHHP client Harry Reid participates in a feed cost-control case study with Kanasas State University nutritionist Dr. Stephen Dritz

Gary Donley shows how Carthage Veterinary Services use the Smart Feeder Feed Budget to monitor feed supplier and pig performance.

Burkey Farms president, Sid Burkey, and Hawkeye Farms controller, Alan Movall, share how they use management accounting information in their operations.

Mark Penningroth, CPA, and John McNutt, MBA, describe how the Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth firm provides management accounting support to their clients.

Ev Chambers, PhD, of AgCompass, demonstrates how his firm hosts FBS software through the Internet.	Brian Guanero demos the JETT·ce handheld computer that synchronizes with Smart Feeder and Crop Audit.

Critereon's Phil Neff describes the xPaper and digital pen technologies used in FBS's new PigPEN™ data collection system.

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High-tech higher education...	on the upper Mississippi.

The summer began with PORKSHOP, but it concludes with a seminar geared to all segments of agriculture.  User Conference.2005 will be your best opportunity this year to experience new technologies and walk through real-life case studies from a wide variety of operations.

This year we'll be previewing and releasing a record number of products that automate data collection and enhance analysis and UC participants will have a unique opportunity to evaluate them first-hand.  Plus, our distinguished faculty will be presenting crop and livestock case studies in a format you've never seen before, as they "drill down" through executive summaries all the way to individual fields, groups and support cost centers.  You'll have plenty of time to visit with our speakers and fellow growers, accountants and consultants from all over the country during the day and on a dinner cruise on the mighty Mississippi.

If you're an FBS user, provide professional services for FBS clients or are considering FBS SeRVware, you'll find User Conference.2005 a thought-provoking, yet relaxing way to end your summer.

So mark your calendars and PDAs for Thursday and Friday, August 25 and 26, in Moline, Illinois, and watch you mail and e-mail for details.

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"Microcomputer" floppy disk and hard drives were just becoming available in 1980, but they were very expensive.  Last month we asked, "Compared to 2005, how many times more costly was a megabyte of disk storage in 1980?"

Here are a few reasonable answers:

2005
"Dirt Cheap Drives" is currently selling a 200 gigabyte Western Digital drive for $123.00.  A gigabyte is 1,000 megabytes, therefore this drive stores 200,000 megabytes (200 x 1000).  So, $123.00 / 200,000 = $.000615 / megabyte (six one hundredths of a cent).

1980
A Radio Shack Model I floppy drive stored 90 kilobytes (or .09 megabytes). The disk drive itself sold for $500.00 and 5 ¼" floppy disks sold for $5.00 each.
Disk drive cost / megabyte = $5,555.55 ($500/.09)
Floppy disk cost / megabyte = $55.55 ($5/.09)
Hard drives were just coming on the scene; a 5 megabyte hard drive went for $2,500.00
Hard drive cost / megabyte = $500.00 ($2500/5)

Therefore,
A floppy disk was 90,325 times more expensive ($55.55 / $.000615).
A hard disk drive was 813,000 times more expensive ($500.00 / $.000615).
A floppy disk drive was 9 million times more expensive ($5,555.55 / $.000615).

Software prices have changed, but not as dramatically.  We'll award 25% off any FBS module to the person submitting the closest guess on the retail price of our first program.

Send your answers to norm@fbssystems.com.  We'll announce the correct answer and winner and introduce a new 25-year-trivia question next month.

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SOFTWARE Q&A – WITH Q'S FROM YOU, OUR CLIENTS! Send us your questions/problems–be they short, long, simple or downright frustratin'!–about SeRVware and we'll handle them right "on the air" for the benefit of all. Q. I have purchased a new computer. How do I transfer my FBS program, data, and authorization to it? a.   1.   Install the program files on the new computer using your most recent FBS program CD.  (You can throw away older FBS program CDs when you receive a new one.)  You cannot copy the program files from one computer to another using a backup CD, backup tape drive, or USB drive because the "DLL" files will not register properly on the new computer.   2.   Open the FBS program on the new computer.  Verify that your data drive and data directory are correct.  We recommend creating a DATA directory under the FBSWIN program directory if it does not already exist.   a.   Open the FBSWIN folder in the window on the right.   b.   Click the Create Directory button at the bottom.   c.   Click OK to create a Data Directory under the FBSWIN directory.   3.   Be sure the DATA directory is open (double left-click on it with your mouse) and choose Create a New Company in the window on the left.  Use the same 3 letter initials as you used on the old computer for the New Company Name.  Click OK.  Accept the default setup on all setup screens as they will be overwritten with your old setup files when you restore your old data.   4.   Open the FBS program on your old computer.  On the main screen go to Utilities and select Save Data. Save all data files for all years.   5.   OR if you have a CD burner, tape backup, or USB drive save the C:\FBSWIN\DATA folder using your CD or tape backup software or Windows Explorer.   6.   If you made a backup using step 4 then go to Utilities in the FBS program on the new computer and select Restore Data.   7.   If you used step 5 to make a backup restore your data by copying back the FBSWIN\DATA folder to the new computer.  Be sure the FBS program is closed on the new computer when you do this.  You will be asked if you wish to overwrite the existing files.  Click YES.   8.   Transfer the Site Authorization:   a.   If your new computer doesn't have a floppy drive please call FBS support for assistance.   b.   Put a diskette in the new computer.  Open the FBS program, choose Utilities and select Authorize/Transfer Usage.  Click on Register Site.   c.   Remove the diskette from the new computer and put it in the old computer.  Open the FBS program, choose Utilities and select Authorize/Transfer Usage.  Click on Transfer Out.   d.   Remove the diskette from the old computer and put in the new computer.  Open the FBS program, choose Utilities and select Authorize/Transfer Usage. Click on Transfer In.   9.   Your FBS program, data and authorization should now be transferred to the new computer.  To verify your data go to Input, General and click on the Last Ten Entries button to see your latest data.  Also go to Utilities and Reset Boot Count.  All of your programs should be "live" in the version column.

Call in your questions (800.437.7638) or e-mail them to support@fbssystems.com.