The focus of this list

> From: Marc Logemann
> 
> In this list the term FUD is so inflationary used, that i just used it
> too. But you must admit that you can rarely say something positive
about
> java right?

No, I strongly disagree.  I have spoken more about Java and the AS/400
than just about anybody in the community.  I was the first person to
release a commercial Java product for the iSeries.  I love Java.  I just
hate it when people try to shoehorn Java (or any other technology) into
places where it doesn't belong.  To me, that's business programming,
because I still believe RPG is better.

However, I'm even willing to listen to arguments to the contrary.  I
think the conversation on commitment control proves that.  And that's
why I'm setting up a BBS for us to start to do real comparisons rather
than simply devolve into yet another religious battle.  But I want to be
absolutely clear on this point: this list WILL at times point out where
Java is inappropriate.  If you find that offensive, this is not the
right list for you.


> And you spoke about 3rd party libs, not products.

Yes, I did.  I misspoke.  If you read the INTENT of the message, I was
talking about a forum package, not a library.  I apologize for the typo.


> Its somehow crazy that even being in a java list, i find myself
> defending the language over and over again.

Marc, this is NOT a Java list.  There are eighty-six thousand Java lists
out there, we don't need another one.  This is a list on using Java in
conjunction with the iSeries.  Like nearly all the lists hosted at
midrange.com, the focus of this list is the iSeries, not Java.  And
where RPG is a better fit, this list (unlike the pure Java lists) will
acknowledge that.

Yes, this list deals with Java.  But it's primarily about using Java as
part of an iSeries solution.  And because this is not a Java evangelism
list, that means that sometimes we'll actually point out the flaws in
Java.

We still haven't begun to scratch the surface.  I've seen nothing
written in Java except the simplest of business code.  No MRP
generations, no price lookups, nothing that actually requires business
logic.  Paul's got a few tests in his stuff, but nothing nearing the
complexity of what RPG programmers do on a daily basis.  So, let me get
the list running and we'll see what we can do to really start addressing
the issue.

In the meantime, you might want to help by starting to create a list of
real business problems.  I've already given a half dozen or so of what I
consider to be high-end business problems.  Paul has also given a number
of examples which are pretty much in the data entry arena.  Feel free to
come up with some business scenarios so that when the comparison site
does go live, we can all start working.

Joe