Re: "Webulating" RPG

** Reply to note from "Guillermo Andrades" <Gab@CPIsoftware.com> Mon, 23 Feb 
1998 17:19:25 +0100

> OOP was not created in 1998.
> any remembering IBM SmallTalk? AD/Cycle?, Repository?, even C++ as the
> future for coding in AS/400...? and other interim steps as VRPG,
> VisualGen, 

Guillermo,
        I am sorry to say this, but I think your post points out exactly
what is wrong in most AS/400 shops. 
        For some reason, people think that Smalltalk is dead, C++ is
supposed to be eliminated by Java, and that VisualAge for RPG and VisualAge
Generator (current name for VisualGen) were "interim steps."

None of those is true. All of those products are still alive and well. But
not in your shop, eh?

>   
> anybody working with any business application coded with Lisp, ADA,
> SmallTalk and so on?

We do have a portion of our business application coded in Smalltalk. It is
a client which is used for analyzing data from the AS/400. We intend to
redo it in Java, as we will be rewriting our entire application in Java.

> the real problem IMO is that after years speaking about Client/Server and
> OO none business application is running this way.

Not true. What is true is that VERY FEW AS/400 applications are running
this way. 

> sure the programmers can change the language, but the problem is how to
> develop critical DataBase applications (not mail or print server!) with
> 100+ concurrent users securely & without corruption. If you've this
> environment now in RPG in AS/400.. then you are needed only of the
> "windows like" panels.
> Then why the industry is speaking OOP during years? worst: ours.

I don't understand what you are saying here.

>   
> IMO Java (aka the-new-C++) is only estimate because is a not-MS product.
> and of course the same question is for Java ("any business application
> RUNNING"?).

I think that you demonstrate a lack of knowledge of Java. Java is not
simply the language.

There are active Java applications out there. On the Java mailing list
there was a question about any existing commercial apps so I posted
several. If you require, I can do the same here. 

I wouldn't expect to see too many mission critical apps on it yet, since
the 1.1 spec isn't all that old, and it was really a necessity for business
apps.

> Also estimate because each new (future) technology is good to magazine
> reporter, consultants and "industry" in general. despite this a lot of
> main enterprises run the business in the same-secure-old way (the same
> since 20 years ago in cases).

It is true that applications once implemented are very seldom changed.
However, the market share of older technology is dwindling. The reason is
that there are more and more new areas where technology can be implemented.
As a result, there is a growing market for technology. New implementations
which in the old days would certainly have been host based are more and
more being brought out on distributed systems using network servers. 

If the AS/400 doesn't want to run out of room to grow, it needs to appeal
to the same market segments. 

>   
> (sorry my english)
> ____________________
> Guillermo Andrades
> CPI, Madrid
 

Chris Rehm
Mr.AS400@ibm.net

How often can you afford to be unexpectedly out of business?
Get an AS/400.
root
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