Re: "Webulating" RPG/ programmer tools -- MIDRANGE-L

>>> I appreciate the advice on how to leverage the laptop with PCMCIA cards and
>>> a copy of Code/400. I am seriously thinking about it, because of this 
>thread.
>>> But I am also wondering if supplying our own tools is going to be a trend in
>>> the future, and do we want it to be?

>> Also, there is also the opportunity to price a fixed bid based on the time
>> it would take without the tools, and split the difference with the client.
>> This would give the client a price break and you a rate increase. Unless,
>> of course, you have trouble filling the hours saved.

> Contractors by definition climb on board and make magic happen with whatever
> is around. They don't provide advice, they provide man-hours. Consultants 
>bring
> in their own tool box and provide solutions. This is where we separate the 
>hot dogs
> from the weenies.
> This is also where we separate the $45/hour contractor from the $85/hour
> consultant.....the difference is to finance tools/education.
> Do you require your boss to purchase your subscription to trade journals? 
>Internet
> access to this list? Spending money at COMMON?
 
I have followed the related threads with some interest and have participated at 
times
as well. I can't speak for anyone but myself. I am extremely interested in the 
tools
that are available for us (AS/400 and specifically RPG) developers on PCs. It 
is the
biggest reason I got a laptop and carry it with me everyday instead of a 
briefcase.

Being an "application person" and not a "network person", I find that the 
communications
area is what causes me the most grief. There are so many solutions and they 
change
on what seems a daily basis. There is probably a spot on the speaking tour for
someone who understands how all of the communication possibilities work and how
to relate this to applications people.

One comment that I do want to make about tools. I was "forced" to use Flex/Edit
several years ago. I was able to adapt to that and had moderate success using 
it. It
did NOT increase my productivity. The time I saved in the editor was easily 
offset by
the time to upload and download source code. It did give me a picture of where 
the
future was going.

I have been watching the various PC tools lately (Flex/Edit, CODE/400 and 
CodeStudio)
to decide which one I was going to buy. I actually liked the CodeStudio product 
the
best. I don't think that it will get enough attention and progress fast enough. 
CODE/400
was next. It has the most to offer and gets good attention. It is also linked 
the closest
to the AS/400, so that is the direction I'm going. Having VA/RPG bundled with 
it is a
plus. The DSU product is what I'm anxious to see. The screen designer will be 
OK (SDA
works well for me), but a REAL report design tool is desperately needed (RLU is 
NOT
a real tool - I refuse to use it).

I think that consultants will need to supply tools of their own and I think 
that is OK. If
I don't use my laptop at my current client, I'm stuck on a Windows 3x PC with 
8mg
of memory. I would like to see all tool vendors develop packages for 
consultants.
This would include AS/400 resident tools as well. I talked to the company that 
has
RDA (Gumbo I think) and they were willing to negotiate a deal with me where I 
could
load their product on a client's AS/400 as a temporary license. I would have to 
call
in each month and get a new authorization code. I could then take it with me to 
all
clients and use the tool while I was there. In fact everyone there could use 
the tool
while I was keeping it authorized. Good for me because that really does make me
more productive. Good for the client - both for my productivity, plus the 
exposure to
the product. Good for Gumbo because they will get free advertising.

Joe Teff
QDS
Bloomington, MN
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