Re: FW: IBM's RPG Strategy (was: Long Procedure Names)

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 11:29:31 -0600, Bob Cozzi <cozzi@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> To make C++ a viable language on the 400, you need to add much better DSPF
> DDS support, better database I/O support.  Then you need people who can use
> it (i.e., skilled staff). Then you need an IDE like Visual Studio (I like
> version 6.0) to make developing easier.
> Why DDS support? Because without being able to brainlessly create or rewrite
> traditional green screen apps with C++ the marketplace will reject it out of
> hand. That's all.

recio.h.  it works really well for me.

 C++ is unuseable on the 400 because any use of the STL causes the
terminal session to fire up.  The STL has a container called a "map".
Effectively it is keyed linked list.  A great way to do something like
store all the entries in a subfile.  I wrote some demo code that
enabled a map to be used from RPG, but when I called the C++ functions
that were the interface to it from RPG, the blasted terminal session
was started.

> I like C++ but it is a very long learning curve for people... 

It took me years to learn C++.  Actually learning the language was
easy.  It was learning to program that took a long time!

> but it will
> allow C++ programmers to enter the 400 market and keep the platform viable
> into the future.

>  Java won't do that. Java is needed on the 400, but Java
> will almost never sell more AS/400's to the world. It will only permit
> people to build code on the 400 that they then can move onto a $500 PC and
> remove the 400. Java is a fun tool and very useful, but IBM should have shot
> the person responsible for saying "Java, java, java".
> 
> -Bob Cozzi
> www.RPGxTools.com
> If everything is under control, you are going too slow.
> - Mario Andretti
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
> On Behalf Of Steve Richter
> Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 11:15 AM
> To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
> Subject: Re: FW: IBM's RPG Strategy (was: Long Procedure Names)
> 
> On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 11:32:14 -0500, Jon Paris <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > >> Follow the lead of Microsoft and develop a CLI specification that
> > enables modules written in C++, RPG and Java to be used interchangeably.
> >
> > Steve,
> >
> > It already exists - it's called Java byte code - it's where Microsoft
> stole
> > the idea for CLI.  Of course one could also say that Sun stole the idea
> from
> > the S/38, AS/400, iSeries.
> 
> call it what you want, MS extended the idea so that languages with
> completely different memory models like C++ and Java could be used
> interchangeably. What MS did to make C++ an equal language in .NET was
> nothing short of outstanding.  The equivalent in ILE would be an RPG
> procedure instantiating a C++ or Java class and then calling member
> functions of that class.
> 
> > To comment more specifically on your ideas, while I agree with some of
> them,
> > the list needs to have some semblance of reality.  Changing the compiler
> > architects/management would not produce the results you desire.  If
> anything
> > it would probably guarantee that the future held no enhancements at all.
> > The folks in charge right now are pretty much career RPG people - most
> other
> > people in the labs go "RPG what?"
> 
> good!  those are the people we need.   Leave the language as it is and
> start with the RPG you would see in an rpg procedure.  I dont use F
> specs anymore, I use the recio function calls instead. So there are
> plenty of features that can be left behind.  Call it what you want,
> but os400 needs a general purpose, modern programming language.    (
> actually I vote for IBM to assign one person with some smarts and
> getup and go to complete the implementation of the C++ compiler on the
> system.  I just want everyone else to have a good language to work
> with also <g> )
> 
> -Steve
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