One thing I forgot, which was thought to be quite amusing at the time:
When we first moved data to MODES PLUS (I think), I had the largest number of records on any MODES data-base. I carefully loaded all the records from over 100 5 1/4 inch floppy discs onto MODES, I created the indices etc, then closed it, and the main data disappeared. I did it again with the same result. The reason, which we discovered very late one night at the Somerset annual meeting is that Richard had set the program to create a ‘save’ file with a name consisting of the first part of the data file name, followed by the initials of the user. My initials are MDF, identical to the the exension of a data file name (Modes Data File), and this ‘save’ file automatically over-wrote the main data file. Richard had to adapt the program to ensure that this wouldn’t happen again. I think this story is in print, perhaps in the newsletter, but it might be worth reminding Richard of it. (He will say that it was not a ‘save’ file, but something else which I never really understood!)
Best wishes
Michael