Life in general

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, one and all.

I apologize for my lack of posts of late.  I've been working well into the
wee hours on my latest PBD packages, which will be out very shortly.  The
cornerstones of the strategy are a display file emulator class and a
server/client communication class.  Between them, they allow a VERY simple
change to an existing RPG program to be made that will then enable the
program for both thick client and web browser access (the change replaces
the display file with a data structure for each record format, and replaces
each I/O to the display file with a four-line call to an API, and that's it
- boom, instant web access).  The thick client then takes about 100-150
lines of code.  For web access, the servlet is a similar number of lines.
The JSP takes as many lines as you want (remember, a JSP page is basically
just am HTML page that can access a Java Bean), but accessing the data from
the display file is a simple get for each field.

Okay, on to recent news:
----------
In regard to the Hank Heath email situation, I'm glad people were
understanding.  It was nice of Hank to offer his free report, even though
it did cause an unfortunate flood of superfluous traffic.  The point has
been made now, although I think I'll put it into the "official" rules of
the forum: DO NOT RESPOND TO SOLICITATION VIA THE FORUM.
----------

Okay, that done, I'll tell you what's up MY sleeve for the next millenium.
I'd like to start discussing the realities of interfacing the AS/400 to the
web, which seems to me to be the primary use for Java/400 today.  On the
other hand, I'll be happy to entertain other thoughts on where Java/400 is
useful TODAY.  For example, my CPYSPLFPDF command uses Java routines to
create a PDF file, because they were readily available for UNIX (I'd hate
to try to write the same thing in RPG!).  Let's start brainstorming, folks.
We need to start USING Java, and sharing how we use it, rather than just
talking abou it.

You'll hear more about PBD over the next couple of weeks.  Until then, have
a GREAT millenium!

Joe Pluta
www.java400.net


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