Re: An odd thing

[Chris Rehm <Mr.AS400@xxxxxxx>]

** Reply to note from DAsmussen <DAsmussen@aol.com> Fri, 12 Dec 1997 22:11:10 
EST

> This sounds rather suspicious, does the firm have VG consultants to offer?

I don't know if the consulting firm offers VA G consulting. However, I would
not think it wise of them to recommend a technology if they didn't have
expertise with it. After all, even IBM might fudge the truth in the
brochures. (Say it ain't so, Lou!)

> Being a "code generator" (AS/Set) user myself, the COBOL decision makes
> absolutely no sense in a site with nothing but RPG programmers on staff.  The
> beauty of AS/Set is that it generates RPG -- I've found it much faster to
> train people in the tool that can read the generated code than to train people
> from COBOL or C backgrounds.  Yes, RPG'ers look at the generated code and
> puke, but at least they understand what it does and can "tweak" their AS/Set
> code to generate more efficient RPG.

I agree that the coders will need to review and even change the output code.
I don't feel there is a generator on the market that will not require some
custom coding. However, it might be that VA G users would do their
customizing in their 4GL and then generate COBOL from that. 

> On the latter, the pain that your former compatriots will soon face ;-)!

Well, there is another thing to take into account. It could be that the guys
currently working "in house" have their hands full with day to day
operations and that the new code will all be from the consulting firm. That
might indicate why the current skill set wasn't taken into account. It also
would indicate to me (if I were still working there) how much the company
intended to capitalize on my existing skills once the rewrite was done. 

> Dean Asmussen
 

Chris Rehm
Mr.AS400@ibm.net

How often can you afford to be unexpectedly out of business?
Get an AS/400.
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