# Mike Bowers - From ISAM to JSON—Navigating 40+ Years of Database Evolution

EP-198 | February 11, 2025 | 44:46




For over 40 years, FairCom has evolved its database technology from ISAM to high-performance JSON APIs. Mike Bowers, Chief Architect at FairCom, joins Robby to discuss the complexities of maintaining a legacy codebase while innovating for the future. What does it take to modernize without breaking everything?





## Show Notes

Mike Bowers, Chief Architect at [FairCom](https://faircom.com), has spent decades navigating the evolution of database technology. In this conversation, he and Robby explore the challenges of maintaining a 40+ year-old codebase, balancing legacy constraints with forward-thinking design, and the realities of technical debt.

Mike shares how FairCom transitioned from ISAM-based databases to modern JSON-driven APIs, the trade-offs between strict schemas and flexible document stores, and how software architecture plays a critical role in long-term maintainability. He also explains why human-readable JSON simplifies debugging, how documentation-driven development improves API usability, and why many software teams struggle with refactoring at the right time.

### Topics covered

- **[00:05:32]** The role of software architecture in long-term maintainability
- **[00:10:45]** Why FairCom's legacy ISAM technology still matters today
- **[00:14:20]** Transitioning to a JSON-based API for modern developers
- **[00:19:40]** The challenges of maintaining 40+ years of C code
- **[00:24:10]** Technical debt: What it really means and how to manage it
- **[00:28:50]** The trade-offs between strict schemas and flexible NoSQL approaches
- **[00:34:00]** When to refactor vs. when to start over from scratch
- **[00:38:15]** The influence of product management thinking on software architecture
- **[00:42:30]** Advice for engineers considering a shift into architecture roles

### Resources Mentioned

- [FairCom](https://faircom.com)
- [Mike Bowers on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltbowers/)
- [FairCom on Twitter/X](https://x.com/faircom_corp)

### Book Recommendation:

[The Influential Product Manager](https://www.amazon.com/Influential-Project-Practices-Portfolio-Management/dp/1466596333) by MSc Bucero

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## Transcript