RE: RPG IV and CF-spec "keep it IBM"

Bob,

I think this is a fairly extreme position, and you could equally argue that
finally allowing free format expressions in RPG will make it. The CF spec
removes nothing from the language; it only enhances it. There's also no need
whatever to convert to it. If a shop doesn't want to use it they can simply
have a standard that says "no use of the CF spec".

I know you talk to thousands of people, but it's difficult to imagine that
you've had thousands of conversations about the CF spec. Unless you're
introducing the topic to them at your classes and seminars, that is. If
you're the first person to break the news to them about the new spec they're
obviously going to be highly influenced by your own attitude to it, and it's
clear that you're very much against it. Especially when they're talking to
the author of THE book on RPG.

I'm not accusing you of deliberate bias, but it's hard to be objective when
summarising the results of private conversations, particularly if one has
taken a stance in them oneself. Don't disparage comments made on this list
by a few dozen respondents. A few dozen out of the total membership (maybe
David can give us the total number of subscribers) is highly significant
statistically. The list is a public forum open to every RPG programmer in
the world, and importantly the conversations in it take place in the open
and on record.

Dave Kahn
Johnson & Johnson International (Ethicon) France
Phone : +33 1 55 00 3180
Email :  dkahn1@jnjfr.jnj.com (work)
           dkahn@cix.co.uk      (home)



-----Message d'origine-----
De: Bob Cozzi [mailto:cozzi@rpgiv.com]
Date: 05 August 1999 03:36
À: RPG400-L@midrange.com
Objet: RE: RPG IV and CF-spec "keep it IBM"


Perhaps after a few years of RPG IV code, if people want to go the
'RPG V' route, then sure, go ahead, but in today's world, CF-spec will
kill RPG IV.

But, hey I only speak from talking to thousands and thousands of RPG
programmers, not a few dozen respondents from this mailing list (as IBM
apparently does).

+---
| This is the RPG/400 Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to RPG400-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to RPG400-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to RPG400-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---END