×
The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.
While I regard RPG as a very efficient and cost-effective language
(short learning curve, low development hours, good development
visibility), I see a number of factors which restrict its popularity.
First, unlike other languages, it is restricted to one platform. (I
remember someone had a Windows PC version out in the 80's but it never
caught on).
Secondly, it is weak when developing user-interfaces, GUI's. RPG is
essentially a server language. Given that nowadays most AS400 screens
are on Windows or UNIX operating systems, I think IBM missed a point by
not making it easier to access the full memory capability of Windows and
Unix for user interfaces embedded in the RPG code. For example,
instead of WORKSTN on the F specs, WNDWGUI or UNIXGUI. Mind you, if
some smart person could write a routine and link it as a SPECIAL device
... I concede that you can use HTML on the green screen, but I have
never seen it used effectively
Thirdly, as another contributor has already stated, RPG is a procedural
language, as opposed to OO. OO and UML are the current and future
trends in software development.
RPG is not dying but it is becoming a niche language. One thing we
learnt from Y2K work was the amount of legacy code that exists in the
background. This will exist and work well into the future., but also
will be changed project by project slowly over the years to come.
Regards,
John McKay mba
On 16/02/2012 21:16, sjl wrote:
Gerald -
Are you saying that I have been working on a dying platform since I began in
this field in 1981? ;-)
- sjl
Gerald wrote:
I've been hearing that since 1982. I didn't listen then (and I'm glad I
didn't) and am not about to start now.
midrange.com
