The 2022 PUG Challenge conference in Vienna, Austria was the perfect place to hear from Progress OpenEdge users. Find out the top five facts, as well as some thoughts, about OpenEdge as discussed with customers and partners who were on site.
What do you get when a large group of people who work with Progress OpenEdge for a living all get together at a conference? A lot of opinions!
We love direct feedback from our customers and partners. Meeting face-to-face in Vienna, Austria for the 2022 PUG Challenge was the perfect opportunity to ask around and find out how OpenEdge users really feel about Progress OpenEdge.
The Progress User Group (PUG) event happened this year in person for the first time since 2019. Attendees were excited to see their old friends again while making new ones. There were plenty of thought-provoking workshops and sessions, and much was said about the great features and benefits of Progress OpenEdge.
But it was during the in-between times, the coffee breaks with fabulous Viennese pastries, where the real action happened. Over the course of three days, these short interludes led to dozens of conversations with attendees from a variety of backgrounds. It was fascinating to find out more about people’s professional history with OpenEdge and get their honest feedback about our company and product.
So, without further ado, let’s reveal your Top Five Facts and Thoughts About Progress OpenEdge.
1. You probably work for a software vendor.
We had great turnout from the end users of ISVs (Independent Software Vendors), including employees from healthcare firms, financial firms, a construction equipment manufacturer and even a fashion manufacturer. But most of the businesses represented at the event were software vendors. We even got to see some old friends, like our Progress Titanium Partners CliniSys MIPS and Mark Information.
2. You like to learn about new technology from friends.
If we tried to tell you about how great our newest release, OpenEdge 12, is here in this blog you probably wouldn’t believe us. If we told you about it in a technical webinar, you’d be more intrigued. But if a well-respected colleague told you that 12.2 is the LTS release you absolutely must move to, 60% of you reported you’d consider that information as good as gold.
3. You love the Progress Community.
Truly, who doesn’t love the Progress Community? It’s the virtual meeting place for other OpenEdge experts just like you. There is an OpenEdge Discussion area to ask questions of fellow developers and an OpenEdge Product Hub with quick links to the details and documents you need. You can even request to join the OpenEdge Customer Validation Program (CVP), the place for early access to new releases, sneak peeks of features in development and closer contact with product managers and product owners.
4. You think ABL is easy. Period.
Advanced Business Language (ABL) is the programming language of Progress OpenEdge. When asked what you like about OpenEdge, the same comments about ABL kept coming up over and over. ABL is easy to use, easy to learn, easy to understand and easy to teach. One person commented it is easier to manage than Oracle, and another person said it took them about a week to learn, which was a lot better than C#.
5. You say Progress OpenEdge continues to impress.
When a product has been around for over 40 years, it’s easy to think that the minds behind it might start to rest on their laurels. Not Progress OpenEdge! Our commitment to continuous improvement is one of your favorite parts about working with us. OpenEdge is a stable and reliable product with backwards compatibility that stays up to date with technology changes. Because of this reliability with an eye to the future, you can effectively plan for changes in your own business without major interruptions.
Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts. Your real-life wisdom tells us what we’re doing right, but also helps us understand what you need to make your daily professional life easier. With your feedback, we’re able to improve the features of future releases, create more meaningful interactions in our user-driven Community and offer better consulting and outsourcing opportunities through our OpenEdge Professional Services team.
If you didn’t get to attend this year’s PUG Challenge, be sure to join us next time. If you can’t wait that long to learn about what we’re up to and share your thoughts, reach out to us now via the OpenEdge Community. We’re always happy to hear from you!
Joelle Andrews
Joelle Andrews is a Product Marketing Manager focused on Progress Customer Care. Joelle’s past experience includes two years with the DataDirect team and a decade of experience in other product marketing, marketing automation, and sales roles. Outside of work, Joelle loves hiking, getting lost in a book, rescuing cats, and traveling the world.