Old Windows software, rebuilt as a web app.
Fixed price, agreed in writing.
I'm Riccardo, a software developer based in Palermo, Italy. I take business tools built in Access, Excel VBA, VB6, Delphi or older .NET and rebuild them as web apps that run in any browser, with the same data and the same way of working.
You get a free written assessment within 48 hours of sending the file. Everything happens by email, so there are no calls to schedule.
- Free written assessmentWithin 48 hours of sending the file, with no obligation.
- By email onlyNo calls to schedule. Everything stays in writing.
- Pilot module: usually €1,000 to €1,500One part of your tool, working on real data, before you decide on the rest.
Before and after
An example on a public file: Microsoft's Northwind sample database for Access. Same fields, same records, now in a browser. The demo below is the real thing, not a picture: you can open it and click around.
What I migrate
Access databases (.mdb, .accdb), including forms, reports, queries and VBA.
Excel workbooks that have grown into applications, with macros, user forms and links between files.
VB6 and Delphi programs, with or without the original source code.
Older .NET applications built with WinForms or WebForms.
The new version is a web app backed by a proper SQL database, usually built with ASP.NET Core or PHP, depending on what your team or your IT provider can look after once I'm done.
Why now
- Office 2021 and Access 2021Microsoft support until
- Windows 10Microsoft support ended
- VB6 development environmentUnsupported since
None of this means your tool stops working tomorrow. It does mean that every Windows or Office update carries a bit more risk, and that it gets harder to find someone who can fix it.
How it works
You send the file.
A copy with test data is fine. If you want an NDA, I sign it before you send anything.
You get a written assessment within 48 hours.
It explains what the tool does today, what the web version would look like, and gives a fixed price for a first module and an estimate for the rest. It's free and there's no obligation.
I build a pilot module.
One part of the tool, working, on real data. You use it on real work before deciding on the rest.
I migrate the rest.
Your old program keeps running alongside the new one for 30 days, so nobody has to switch overnight.
Pricing
Prices are fixed and agreed in writing before I start. If the scope changes, I send a new written quote and wait for your OK before doing the extra work.
Pilot module
€1,000 to €1,500
What a pilot module usually costs. You can pay it in two halves: 50% at the start and 50% when you approve it.
Full migration
40 to 60% below
a typical agency quote: that's what I aim for on a full migration. I can do that because I work alone, without offices or a sales team.
What you can count on
Parallel running
The old program stays in use for 30 days after the new one goes live.
Comparison tests
I write automated tests that feed the same input to the old and the new version and check that the results match, down to totals and report figures. You get the test results, not just my word.
Everything in writing
Quotes, scope, decisions and changes are all on email, so there's a record of what we agreed.
Your data stays private
I sign an NDA on request and only work on the copy you send me.
For software vendors
If you sell a Windows product and are thinking about a web version, I can prepare a free clickable mock-up of your own product as a web app, based on your screenshots. It shows what the interface could look like before anyone writes real code.
The link is private and I take it down whenever you ask.
FAQ
Do we need a call?
No. Everything is done in writing: the assessment, the quote, questions and progress updates. If something is easier to show than to explain, I send a short screen recording.
Is the assessment really free?
Yes. You get a written report and a fixed price. If you don't go ahead, you keep the report and owe nothing.
We don't have the source code of our VB6 program. Can you still help?
Often, yes. I can work from the program itself, its database and screenshots of how it's used. The assessment will say clearly what's possible.
What happens to our data?
I work only on the copy you send, I sign an NDA if you want one, and I delete the files when the project ends or whenever you ask.
Who does the work?
I do. There's no subcontracting, so the person who writes the assessment is the person who writes the code.
How long does a migration take?
It depends on the size of the tool. The assessment gives a timeline along with the price.
What if the new version gets something wrong?
That's what the 30-day parallel run and the comparison tests are for. Differences show up while the old program is still in use, and I fix them as part of the agreed price.
Which languages do you work in?
English, French and Italian, in writing.
Contact
By email only:
[email protected]Send a short description of the tool, or the file itself, and I'll reply within one working day.