Re: HP Stimulus Package

From: Lukas Beeler
Please - read the HP document again, but this time think about what
is RIGHT in there - what you can do to fix what they bemoan about
the i.

I read it again. Even valid points about IBM pushing customers to Websphere are spun in such a was as to cast doubt about staying on the platform altogether. The spin almost conveys the idea that IBM is conspiring against its legacy customer base, or abandoning them. Vendors in Microsoft's Midrange Alliance program are more subtle than THAT. At least they offer a migration path where data remains on the platform, while applications are moved to Windows.

Actually, I don't think HP and Infinite are much of a threat to IBM i. RPG emulation environments are a poor substitute for the real thing. Their promise of a better architecture is false. I'd be more concerned about Microsoft.

The irony for me is that I believe that the IBM i native runtime and RPG programming language are the best tools for Web application development. I'm writing new applications every week with RPG.

I understand there are cases where folks are dealing with bad database design, monolithic spagetti code, and other problems. But the least disruptive and probably best solution is to stick with RPG and the native environment, but change your database and coding practices, and gradually migrate from 5250 (where warranted) to new browser based interfaces.

JMHO.

Nathan.