RE: Re[2]: IBM pushing Java -- MIDRANGE-L

In response to that, I have found that it is management's faith in you as a
programmer that also plays into this factor.  i was lucky enough to get to
rewrite an application at work.  They gave me the task and I said I would if
"they gave me 6 months to do it and would let me use my best judgement on
what tools to use".

I rewrote the package in less than 4 months using ILE (service programs,
AGs, etc) and it has cut the phone calls at least in half, according to our
help desk.  As far as maintanence, at least to me, it's been a breeze.  It's
also a "gateway" to introducing ILE techniques to the rest of the staff.
They all are interested in learning, and this was a great starting point.

So, when management tells you "no rewrite" it simply may mean something
else.  Not all the time, but it's a factor that is often ignored.

Bradley v. Stone
bvstone@taylorcorp.com

> -----Original Message-----
> From: eric.delong@pmsi-services.com
> [mailto:eric.delong@pmsi-services.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 11:23 AM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re[2]: IBM pushing Java 
> 
> 
> 
>      Sure, as a programmer, it easy to look at an application and say 
>      "Gee, this is a bunch o' $#@%, we ought to rewrite it." However, 
>      the initial response by management is ALWAYS leave it alone. How 
>      does one quantify the long term benefits of a costly 
> rewrite? How 
>      can one prove that a rewrite will produce a better system? Which 
>      will provide the most benefit for the least expense? I'm 
> sorry to 
>      say that the bean counters rarely understand the real issues 
>      involved in maintaining legacy systems, and invariable 
> fall back to 
>      "leave it alone". 
>      
>      JMO,
>      eric.delong@pmsi-services.com
> 
> 
> ______________________________ Reply Separator 
> _________________________________
> Subject: RE: IBM pushing Java 
> Author:  <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > at INET_WACO
> Date:    3/22/99 8:14 AM
> 
> 
> The term "brittle" in this sense makes complete sense!  I 
> used to wonder why
> some programmers would spend days on a small change, and i 
> come to find out
> it is because they feel that "if I change one thing it will 
> break something
> else."
> 
> This is a sure sign of:
> 1.  Poor design
> 2.  Band-aid after bandaid applied
> 
> Time for a re-write!  :)
> 
> Brad
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: boothm@ibm.net [mailto:boothm@ibm.net]
> > Sent: Saturday, March 20, 1999 11:07 AM
> > To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> > Subject: Re: IBM pushing Java
> > 
> > 
> > I have a question along these lines:  I refer to much of the 
> > old code that I see as being brittle.  I don't know exactly 
> > why I started using that term but it does seem appropriate.  
> > Touch something, and something breaks somewhere else.  change 
> > a line of code and suddenly some whole section starts 
> > behaving differently. 
> > 
> > Have others noticed this?  Does this word make sense to 
> > others, or am I speaking badly?  It is important to me 
> > because I feel we must constantly fight against this 
> > brittleness or suddenly we have applications that are no 
> > longer useful or repairable.  Its usually at this point that 
> > I hear the "We need some PCs to do this" speech.
> > 
> > 
> > In <199903200957_MC2-6EB2-7239@compuserve.com>, on 03/20/99 
> >    at 09:56 AM, John Carr <74711.77@compuserve.com> said:
> > 
> > 
> > >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
> > 
> > -- 
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > boothm@ibm.net
> > Booth Martin
> > -----------------------------------------------------------
> > 
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