Re: Hello World -- CONSULT400

Janet,

It is probably easier to start a snow ball rolling in Minnesota than in the
95 degree temperature with equivalent humidity in middle Tennessee. So, I
will be satisfied with a small ice cube.

In Nashville, TN, AS/400 consulting remains flat.  I am fortunate to have an
assignment until year end. (However, the client can end the contract with a
30 day notice; so, in essence, I have a 30 day contract).

I am using my spare time to upgrade my skills - the question is what are the
skills that will be in demand?

Primarily, I am an old RPG dinosaur, so I've dusted off the Cobol400 manuals
for some intense after-hours study.  Also, I have done some self study in
RPG/ILE (service programs,  reusable modules, etc.).  My main focus has been
on learning Java.  This has been a challenge since this is my first
encounter with obect oriented programming.  The language syntax is no
problem, but the structure is so different from my RPG knowledge base.  The
"old dog-new trick" theory is fast becoming a reality for me!  I really have
enjoyed developing Java applications even if they are very simple
applications. It will be a while before I can be productive at a client
site.

Will this make me more marketable?  Who knows; but it certainly beats
watching Regis asking moronic questions to people who don't know who is
buried in Grant's tomb.

----- Original Message -----
From: <jkrueger@dhagroup.com>
To: <consult400@midrange.com>
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 10:35 AM
Subject: Re: Hello World


> >>I joined this list sometime ago and was wondering if I am alone
> here, because I do not receive a single mail.
>
>
> You are not alone.  It seems a lot of us want to listen in on discussions
> amongst consultants, but none of us have much to say...
>
> That in itself presents an interesting image, as many of us are not known
for
> being quiet...
>
> There are several hundred people signed up now, so perhaps it is time to
hone in
> on what we want to talk about...
>
> Here are some questions we could contemplate:
>   - Is business starting to pick up now after the Y2K hiatus for anything
other
> than web related consulting?
>   - Have any of you had direct hands on experience with V4R5, yet?  How
rapidly
> would you advise your clients to consider installing it?
>   - What about PASE?  It seem fully functional now with the V4R5
implementation;
> any thoughts on how/if to leverage it?
>   - Are consultants truly so bashful that they can't start threads of
> discussion?
>   - IBM claimed they were going to kick off a new X-Treme ad campaign for
the
> 400, has anyone seen signs of it yet?
>
> Janet Krueger, in Minnesota, trying to start a snowball rolling...
>
>