Re: CODE/400

** Reply to note from Richard Baird <rbbaird@premsys.com> Sun, 01 Mar 1998    
16:14:39 -0500  
  
> So, I've stuck with the lowest common denominator for source editors and    
I've gotten pretty good at seu, and am comfortable with  
> it.  I don't see how a pc editor can save me that much time, but I'm not    
adverse to the idea.  
  
I understand the consideration. I have spent 15 years on the green screen as    
well. But I have come to appreciate some of the other five as well.  
  
> We just ordered CODE400, but are waiting till the tcp/ip version comes    
out. From a died in the wool greenscreener, I'll give you an  
> unbiased review when I get it.  
  
I look forward to it!   
  
> no, actually I would put 'SL15' (show last 15 lines,) on the seq# of the    
excluded lines above the offending source line, and 'SF15'  
> (show first 15)  on the one below.  press enter and viola. I have 31 lines    
exposed around the line I want. Not as fast as F5, but I  
> can type pretty fast.  
  
And probably if this was often enough, you could simply write a macro for CA    
to use. Then, move to the line and hit alt-v, and the surrounding lines are    
revealed.   
  
If it wasn't that often, you probably wouldn't remember what key you had the    
macro attached to, so it wouldn't pay off.  
  
> true.  but what I normally do is this:  
>     
> <f10>t<enter>f s1rrn a<fldexit><fldexit>x99999<enter>  
>     
> the whole sequence takes about 4-5 seconds to type, and with key ahead, I    
don't even notice the enters and function keys.  
  
And again a macro could make it zoomier. For instance, I would probably    
build one that did the <f10>t. Then typed the f followed by a bunch of    
blanks and then typed the a and the x99999 then moved the cursor back to the    
position following the f. So I could just fill in my value and enter.   
  
Seems workable.  
  
> You saved the keystrokes of typing in the field name.  I use a telnet 5250    
emulator that all you need to do to copy a field name  
> from the screen is to double click on it. (my mouse wheel button is    
programed to double click)  
>     
> so....   
>     
> <wheelclick><ctrl-c><f10>f <ctrl-v> a<enter>  
>     
> My way is 7 or 8 keystrokes more per field than yours.  significant, but    
how often each day do you use this function.  
  
Not often. Want to point out though that my years at the green screen have    
taught me to dislike taking my hands off the keyboard. I don't like reaching    
to mouse and back.  
  
> By way of illustration, let me tell you a little story.   
 
I read the story. By the way, a similar thing happened in Las Vegas several   
years back when CitiCorp move an office there an installed a couple of   
mainframes. They were advised to replace their keypunch entry with PCs. They   
implemented the change but the process had to be scrapped when it was   
demonstrated that they would have to greatly increase their workforce to   
perform the same workload.  
 
[snip] 
 
> good story though, eh?  
>     
> Really, what it meant was she was good enough at what she did and was so    
used to doing it that way, that this particular new  
> technology wasn't going to help her do her job any faster.  Not that it    
couldn't or didn't help others, just not her.  
>     
> Now, in a few weeks, I'll let you know what I think of code400.  Maybe    
we'll set up a little contest?  ;)  
 
Sure, but I think you should revisit the tale. 
 
What you showed was not that your mother could not be helped by the new   
technology. Only that the technology could not give the competitor enough of   
a boost to compete with her.  
 
The data entry operators at CitiCorp were used to the gear they were working   
with. What finally changed the score was getting a PC to give the same   
tactile response as the keypunch they were used to. This way, they could   
type at a higher speed (since the PC did not require mechanical parts to   
keep up). But in order to get there the department had to evaluate their   
results and try again. They had to overcome the learning curve. To do this,   
they had to figure out how much they had to gain.  
 
The contest you plan on should be between you and you. I wouldn't shy away   
from comparing my editing skills to anyone's. I have a lot of time behind a   
keyboard and I have amazed people with as much experience as I have. I love   
what I do and it shows.  
 
But imagine your skill level. Now, what if SEU had an additional 20 or 30   
time savers that you could master over time? What if the number of these   
little boost features was really unlimited? You could add a new one once the   
last one was committed to memory?  
 
This does not at all affect the value of SEU. This just means that SEU is   
not as valuable as other products.  
 
By the way, we have again stuck to the value of the LPEX editor compared to   
SEU. Code/400 has other tools as well. So, your contest should wait until   
you have mastered the display/report designer, and the debugger. The   
Code/400 debugger is probably as far ahead of ILE's source level debugger as   
LPEX is ahead of SEU. That may not seem like a mile (but it will) but   
consider that Code/400s debugger adds all those source level features to   
RPG/400 and has done so for years.  
 
By the way, I still have a fondness in my heart for the 3180 display. My   
favorite among all the green screens.  
 
> Regards,  
>     
> Rick  
 

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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