After 40 years in data processing, I shouldn't be impressed when a software package like EssentialPIM works, but I am.
Probably the most complicated programming I have done was an online system that enabled field offices countrywide to process transactions in real time. Our tools were COBOL programs, CICS (Customer Information Control System) for the network traffic, and a mainframe database.
I was new to data processing—my background was writing, not computers—so I enrolled in concepts classes and was fascinated by the technology.
Since then, the internet, personal computers, and smartphones have introduced new devices, new operating systems, mobile apps, email, The Cloud and more. Apps like EssentialPIM write to a database, synchronize with diverse services, support multiple concurrent users, host email, encrypt data, and work on both desktop and mobile platforms.
All of this is seamless, if not flawless.