RE: IBM pushing Java

[Colin Williams <Williamsc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Unfortunately, many developers work in environments where changes to
code are very tightly controlled, especially if they work in a software
house, so you can't just decide to convert an RPG/400 program to RPG IV,
it is a management decision. In many cases things like that need to be
planned, so until the big boss says yeh, it's a no go!! 

There are many commercial products on the AS/400 that are relatively
backward in terms of the facilities that they use on the '400, 'cos some
guys just don't keep up with whats happen out there.!!!

                -----Original Message-----
                From:   John Carr [mailto:74711.77@compuserve.com]
                Sent:   Saturday, March 20, 1999 2:56 PM
                To:     Midrange-L
                Subject:        Re: IBM pushing Java



                RE:     Re: IBM pushing Java

                >>John Carr <74711.77@compuserve.com> wrote:
                >>>If you're not using the new functions of the RPGIV
language(built-in's 
                >>>using API's,  Procedures, etc) and are still only
using RPGIII
                >>>I for the life of me don't know why.   If you're an
RPG person


                >I can tell you why I'm not.  We're an RPGIII shop.  All
of our
                >applications are RPGIII.  None of the vendors have
introduced RPGIV
                >into any of the applications we are currently
supporting.  Our
                >management will not approve the use of RPGIV until they
need to, and
                >at that time all of the RPG programmers will be trained
in RPGIV.  I
                >cannot just start using RPGIV when no other programmers
here have
                >?learned it, as it would raise maintenance concerns
should someone else
                >need to go into the program to change or fix it later.
Now with Y2K
                >testing and the recent purchase of another hospital
we'll need to
                >bring onto our systems, I doubt we'll be trying to
tackle RPGIV this
                >year.  Believe me, I'd love to learn and use it if I
could.
                >Terry Herrin

                ""Our management will not approve the use of RPGIV until
they need to""
                Get the rest of the programmers to convince them that
"They Need To"

                Here is how we handled the "Skill set" issue.   When
ever we touched
                a RPGIII program for a fix or enhancement(even just one
line of code)
                We first ran it through the CVTRPGSRC into RPGIV (BTW I
doubt Management
                would ever know)  Then fix or enhance the program. 
                That way It's the same program, just RPGIV.  All
programmers ONLY see
                RPGIV.  None of the "Am I in RPGIII or RPGIV" ,  "Does
this work here?"

                Your staff ONLY sees RPGIV code.   Don't convert them
all in one swoop 
                to RPGIV.  But if a change is to be made,  First
CVTRPGSRC, Make change,
                then Compile.  

                NOBODY will even notice.  We did this one program at a
time, etc.
                Now EVERYthing we touch is RPGIV,   

                Programers only have to know ONE syntax.  

                Its not that hard.    "Gotta Wannta"


                BTW,  With that management attitude,  How come you still
aren't useing 
                RPGII ?    And I bet they are the same Management who
complain about 
                their applications are getting older.

                John Carr
                EdgeTech
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