RE: Benefits of Sub-procedures

No, the programmer should have been disciplined for developing
non-maintainable code.  (I went back and deleted the word "fired", because I
believe that is a tad harsh, but not as bad as doing "old" coders the
"FAVOR" of taking them out back to be put out of their misery.)  And he was
(indirectly) but, personally, I wouldn't have disciplined him by telling him
not to use ANY of the new techniques.

It doesn't matter, in the least, what techniques are better and what are
worse.  If THAT PARTICULAR SHOP couldn't maintain the code, then the
programmer was in err.

In a DIFFERENT SHOP, it would have been perfectly acceptable.

| -----Original Message-----
| From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
| [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Bob Cagle
| Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 5:56 PM
| To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
| Subject: RE: Benefits of Sub-procedures

| Another horror story I have heard in the past year - another colleague
| of mine had written a stand-alone application completely in RPGIV.  He
| even designed his database with 10-character field names and date and
| time fields.  He used sub-procedures.  Then he cut his hand with a
| band-saw and was out on medical leave for 2 1/2 months.
|
| Needless to say, one of his managers had to make a change to his app.
| She didn't understand any of it, so, she re-wrote the entire thing in
| RPG/400.  When he came back off of medical leave, he was told he could
| not use any RPGIV at all, much less the database enhancements.  Many of
| you will say that this manager should be fired, and you're right.  But,
| she just happens to be the boss in IT - who's going to fire her?  The
| CFO who knows nothing of programming?