Re: Java on the AS/400

[Vernon Hamberg <hambergv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Paul

At 09:38 PM 5/28/1998 -0400, you wrote:
>>I have been following this thread with interest.  I would like to keep
>>my skills up to date (who wouldn't?) and was wondering what language
>>would be best combined with my RPG and little bit of COBOL knowledge.
>>
>>I admit my ignorance....is Java the same whether it is on a PC or on the
>>AS/400?
>>
>>Donna Zukowski
>
>
>Java's -=[SUPPOSED]=- to be the same, no matter the platform on which it
runs.
>
>However, you can't lock in a customer base that way, so...
>
>-Microsoft has done strangely unique things to it, so much so that they're
>not allowed to call it JAVA any more.
>
>-IBM has done less strange things, but they've added, uh, 'classes,' I
>believe they're called, that implement "extensions" that will only run on
>the AS/400 (ie accessing Data Areas).
>
>-I'm sure there are other vendors that have their 'extensions' as well.
>
>If you use the 'vanilla' functions, your code should execute on any system
>that supports JAVA.  If you want things that only the AS/400 supports, you
>can use the extensions, with the realization that your code is now
>restricted to "IBM AS/400 JAVA."

AFAIK, there's a HHHHHUUUUUGGGGEEEE difference between what MS has done and
the classes provided by IBM.

The MS approach limits you to running a 'Java' app on a Windows platform.

The IBM approach does _not_ limit you to running on the 400. The
applications that you create can run on any Java virtual machine. The
400-specificity here has nothing to do with Java. It's no different from
using Lightning in VB to talk to the 400.

So, IMO, it's misleading to lump these approaches together, esp. to suggest
that IBM is pulling the rug out from under the portability of Java by
providing classes for 400 access.

JMHO

Vernon Hamberg
Systems Software Programmer
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
400 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN  55401-2499
(612) 371-1111 x480


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