Re: Of chalk and cheese... and RPG's

[Buck Calabro/commsoft<mcalabro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In my earlier post about productivity gains, I was trying to
explain the stubborness of management in approving a wholesale
conversion of all existing RPG III programs to RPG IV.  I should
have been more explicit explaining that I use and love RPG IV,
and I refuse to do new work in RPG III because I'd lose my
long field names.  These alone make your code more readable and
maintainable.

>For naysayers, quit yer bellyachin and experiment with RPG IV. 
>In a week, you'll look back and wonder what you were thinking!

This is exactly how it happened for me.  Basically, I simply 
started using RPG IV one day for a new project.  I'd estimate 
that it added 4 hours onto a 3 day project. The next one I did 
only added 1 hour and by the third project, I'd say that I saved 
an hour or so.  The immediate savings are not immense, but having 
the chance to write more readable code means that I'll be able
to maintain this stuff better.

For a bit of background, I am a High School graduate, learnt RPG
whilst working as a computer operator by reading the S/3 RPG
manuals in 1978.  I'm on intimate terms with matching record, 
halt indicators, external indicators and field record relation 
indicators.  I have never taken a CIS course, but I read as
much in the field as I can understand.  In short, I am not a 
rocket scientist.  If I can learn and use (and like!) RPG IV, 
literally anybody can.

Buck Calabro
CommSoft, Albany, NY
mailto:mcalabro@commsoft.net

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