RE: IFS in RPG

Another post I totally agree with.

Phil

>
> Hi,
>
> On Fri, 12 Jul 2002, Joel Fritz wrote:
> >
> > One thing about the Unix Type File APIs is that they're
> identical (at the
> > interface level) to the standard C library functions for low
> level file I/O.
> >
>
> I just wanted to highlight this statement from Joel Fritz because I think
> it's very important.   The existing UNIX-type APIs for stream files are
> IDENTICAL (at the interface level) with the POSIX standard for stream file
> I/O.
>
> This is used on DOZENS of platforms.   It's available on Windows, and
> every variety of UNIX or UNIX-like operating systems, as well as OS/400
> and many more...
>
> This means that there's a lot of people who already know how to use it,
> and that it's been time-tested for decades in many, many environments.
>
> What RPG needs /copy members that define the prototypes, constants and
> structures for us.   ILE C/400 already has this, why the heck
> doesn't RPG?!
> RPG is the most popular language for OS/400, why are the header
> members and
> documentation written *only* for C programmers?!
>
> THATs the way to make it standardized and consistent.  Have OS/400 or WDTS
> come with these /copy members!  If they work just like the C headers do,
> they will be as standardized as possible...    far more than any RPG
> specific feature could be.
>
> But, when I've suggested this to IBM, all I've heard has been "Create your
> own!  Distribute them!  Sell them, or open-source them!"   Great.  Sure.
> But having competing vendors, or multiple sources for the header files
> ISNT THE WAY TO STANDARIZE THEM.   They need to be there in every shop,
> and therefore they need to be distributed by IBM just as the ILE C
> versions are.
>
> And, OF COURSE, we don't just need the /copy members, but we need manuals
> that support RPG as well as C.
>
> These same arguments can be made about sockets.  And LDAP.  And all of the
> other UNIX-type APIs.
>
> The result would be every bit as easy to use as the BIFs, more
> standardized, and more consistent with the existing support IBM provides
> to C programmers.   It also would be relatively easy to implement.
>
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