RE: Java applets -- MIDRANGE-L

I recently returned from Rochester taking a look at what they are doing with 
Java.  There are a couple comments that may make some sense.  First - they are 
making a BIG time commitment to Java throughout the organization.  Also, they 
are developing a set of frameworks (The San Francisco Project) that contains 
business objects as well as operating system functions that will sit on top of 
OS/400, NT, AIX,MVS and others.  This is working on most of the platforms 
today, but still waiting on a JVM (Java virtual machine) for the 400.  I 
suspect that you will see an OK JVM this year an a just-in-time compiler 
version next year.  

They know that hooking up call facilities to other HLLs is important and will 
have it working at some level.  Java is not a bad language, its just 
different.  The nice thing is that it falls into the design scheme of the 400 
better than C.  You can't play with registers and pointers (who wants to!).  
It does take some getting used to, but I would say that Java is a long term 
potential solution to programming needs not a short one.  If you need an 
application over the next 6-9 months, unless it is an internet app, use what 
you know.  Let the compilers and standards settle down some.  Also, let IBM 
get their finished framework components out so you know what to write and what 
to adopt (through object inheritance).  

Thanks,

jb

John Bussert
Swift Technologies, Inc.
847-289-8339
jbussert@stecnet.com


-----Original Message-----
From:   mcsnet!midrange.com!midrange-l-owner@Mcs.Net  On Behalf Of Al Barsa, Jr.
Sent:   Wednesday, August 06, 1997 6:57 AM
To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject:        re: Java applets

At 09:14 PM 8/5/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Al, you just said that IBM will allow us to hook Java applets to RPG. 
>Who'll write the Java applets, and how?  Java may be the answer for
>others, but I looked at some Java code the other day and it is not
>anything I will ever be able to learn. Maybe I can learn VaRPG, but java
>looks to me like C code.  There was nothing about it that looked inviting
>to me.  Is there something you know that would change my mind?

Not specifically.  I have not yet had the opportunity to play with the new
function, although I have been promised that this will happen.

Clearly the point of hooking JAVA into RPG is to allow legacy code to come
forward easily.  If they don't deliver on the EASILY part, then what they
are doing will be a waste of time.



Al Barsa, Jr. - Account for Midrange-L
Barsa Consulting, LLC.  
400 > 390

Phone:  914-251-9400
Fax:    914-251-9406





Private mail should be sent to barsa@ibm.net
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