RE: Web apps on the AS/400

Here's why I LIKE servlets/JSP for those shops that can't afford an
upgrade...

You can implement it on a front end box.  Say a $1500 Linux box (trust me,
that's a BIG Linux box).  You don't need WebSphere for what I'm doing;
Apache HTTP server and the Tomcat servlet engine work just fine.

While I can't comment on creating your own tag language, my guess is that
it's not going to be particularly portable to any other web server.  I'm
pretty sure, though, that Net.data isn't going to run on the Linux box.  In
fact, no RPG-CGI solution can be moved to another platform.

But servlets and JSP, now, they can be moved to any web server that supports
the Sun standards, provided you use relatively vanilla techniques (which I
always do).  So you can start your implementation small, and as your needs
grow, you can scale up.  You can either move the application to a bigger
front end machine, or even relocate it to that big, shiny new AS/400 you got
with all the profits from your application <grin>.

No, JSP/servlet is actually the BEST solution for the little guy, because of
its scalability.

Joe



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-midrange-l@midrange.com
> [mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Phil Groschwitz
> Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2001 11:19 AM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: RE: Web apps on the AS/400
>
>
> Great discussion going on.  I thought I'd add my
> perspective to it.
>
> Isn't possible to do this:
>
> Use net.data to do nothing but call rpg pgms and to
> place the result where net.data says to.  All the html
> is in the net.data macro, not in any rpg pgms.  The
> macro can be maintained by webdevelopers while the
> business programs are maintained by rpg programmers.
>
> -- or --
>
> Develop your own tag language to control calling rpg
> pgms, again not putting any html in rpg pgms.  The
> special tag language and html is maintained by
> webdevelopers while the business programs are
> maintained by rpg programmers.
>
> -- or --
>
> use JSP's and java to do the same thing, again not
> putting any html in the java classes (which is what
> you had to do not too long ago before jsp's.)  The
> jsp's are maintained by webdevelopers while the
> business programs are maintained by java developers.
>
> --
>
> I agree that hardcoding html (in any language) is not
> a good thing.
>
> But I disagree that java/jsp's is the **absolute**
> best solution for **all** business problems.  Why?
> ROI.  The existing, installed as/400's are in many
> cases incapable of running a java solution.  Many
> companies would lose money on upgrading now.  They
> have to wait.  (Or use a different server but you may
> never get that business back)
>
> Here's a simplistic analogy that I think demonstrates
> my point:
>
> I have a 2 year old car.  I now have a need to put a
> baby in the car so I need a car seat.  While it is
> true that I could buy a new car that comes with an
> integrated car seat, I can't buy a new car now because
> I'm still paying for the one I have.  I can't wait
> another three years for my car to be paid for.  So
> I'll just buy a car seat that I can use in my existing
> car.  Problem solved.  Best solution when all the
> factors are considered.  Would not have been the best
> solution if I had no car, or if the car was deficient
> in another way.  Maybe I need room for five but the
> car only has four seats.  You get the idea, I hope.
>
> Phil
>
>
>
>
> --- Joe Pluta <joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com> wrote:
> > Holy Cripe Joe,  that almost sounds like a RPG-CGI
> > program !!
> > -----
> >
> > Yes and no, John.  With this technique, there's no
> > HTML formatting in the
> > RPG programming, which is my primary gripe against
> > RPG-CGI (or any CGI)
> > techniques.  Here's a typical change to an RPG
> > program:
> >
> > RV01dC**                   WRITELINCTL01
> > RV01aC                     EXSR DQM001
> >
> > RV01aC           DQM001    BEGSR
> >       WRITELINCTL01
> > RV01aC           DQMTYP    IFEQ '1'
> > RV01aC                     WRITELINCTL01
> > RV01aC                     ELSE
> > RV01aC                     CALL 'DQMBAPI2'
> > RV01aC                     PARM 'LINCTL01'DQMSCR  8
> > RV01aC                     PARM 'WRITE'   DQMOPC  5
> > RV01aC           *IN       PARM *IN       XIIND
> > RV01aC                     PARM           DQMDS2
> > RV01aC                     ENDIF
> >
> > This program runs both green screen and browser.
> > Most CGI programs that
> > I've seen won't perform in both environments.
> >
> > Joe
> >
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