RPG vs the world (was: Crazy little web project)

Scott,

 

> Actually, I really don't know what they're like.  I'm the IT Manager of my
> company, and I get to make the decisions like that.  Though, if there's a
> significant cost associated, I have to get approval from the CFO, but in
> this case it's free, so I could do what I want...

 

Wow! That's like your father owning a toy shop! I can't imagine what that
would feel like. You got any vacancies? <grin>

 

> But, if you want to write a web server on your own time to learn about the
> protocols, I think that's great.  I do a TON of stuff like that, I take
> open source projects and read the code to see how it works, I read the
> internet standards, I write stuff for the fun/learning experience (pretty
> much everything on my web site is an example of that... the sockets
> tutorial, HTTPAPI, FTPAPI...)  So I'm all for it!  Yes, people, that's
> what I do with my free time.  Pathetic, isn't it?

 

Pathetic? Absolutely not. You are a long way down the road I'm just getting
on. I think it's a personality thing. I am a voracious collector of
knowledge. I did my degree in Pure Chemistry because I wanted to know how
the universe hangs together. It didn't quite work out that way <sheepish
grin>. That's too much knowledge for one mind to hold. However, one of the
things that attracted me to computing was the fact that there is so much
scope to learn new things. That's the key. I'd hate to know everything
because it's the learning I enjoy. I am quite content with the fact that no
matter how fast I learn, there are thousands of people out there adding to
the pool of knowledge. It is people like you, Bob Cozzi, the RPG compiler
team, and others that constantly add to that pool. I consider myself
fortunate that I'm in a position to take the odd sip.

 

> It's just very unusual to meet another RPG programmer who does stuff like
> that.  Granted, on other platforms it's very common -- but on the iSeries
> it's very rare.  I'm very used to RPG programmers who "don't have time" to
> learn anything more than what they absolutely need to get the job done.
> They're constant goal is to get the job done as quickly as possible -- and
> I've reached a point where I just assume that this is true of everyone
> asking a question... :)
 
Sadly this becoming more apparent to me. This list is one home for the few
exceptions. I'm not sure which is worse: the fact that most of my colleagues
don't know how much is out there or the fact that they don't seem to really
care. I constantly strive to expand their horizons but inertia is a powerful
enemy. I'm seen as rather odd. The fact that I spend most of my spare time
reading about, and fiddling with, such things as HTTP, TCP/IP, Java, C++,
Vb, QSHELL and Unix shells, REXX (I know!), SQL, XML, SMTP and MIME file
formats, etc. is somehow seen as strange. You'd think that this wouldn't
seem odd in an IT department would you? I didn't realise that it was that
exceptional for a RPG programmer to think outside the box. I just thought
that my colleagues don't really like what they are doing for a living. It
has it's compensations though - I get all of the really good highly
technical stuff! I've got a nice iSeries application to write to communicate
with a Unix-based SAP application!!! Lots of JCo, fiddling with iDocs, and
some bespoke java I hope! Woohoo!!!
 
Anyway, well off topic now so I'll shut up before David sends the dogs of
war after me. ;-)
 
Thanks for the links Scott, I've already had a good root at the CGI stuff,
but got sidetracked when I saw the JavaScript User Guide and Reference
Manual (well, you know what it's like). Another few late nights playing with
that box if tricks. What a life, eh!?!? 
 
Cheers
 
Larry