Re: "RPG isn't cool"

Buck,

In a message dated 5/10/99 1:09:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
mcalabro@commsoft.net writes:

<<snip>>
> RPG IV *is* cool - sadly, nobody uses it!  You have no idea how many people
>  rail against "switching" to "another language."  Invariably, it's from
>  people who fall into one or more of the following categories:
>  1. Never used RPG IV; have gut feeling that it is too hard to learn
>  2. Never used RPG IV; have heard rumours that it is too hard to learn.
>  3. Never used RPG IV; have fears that "old dogs" can't handle features like
>  CALLP
>  4. Never used RPG IV; have poor self-esteem and thing they can't handle
>  fancy new concepts.
>  5. Never used RPG IV; RPG II/III/400 works just fine, thank you.
>  
>  Is there another major programming market where the programmers cling so
>  fiercely to a clearly inferior language (RPG 400) when they've already paid
>  for it's replacement (RPG IV?)  It's this attitude more than anything else
>  that dooms "RPG" to it's status as "uncool."  You want a single easy thing
>  to improve the language?  Officially announce the end of support for RPG
>  36, RPG III and RPG 400.  RPG IV can already do everything that it's
>  predecessors could do and so much more.  Get people to use what they've
>  already paid for   Give away GOOD examples of source code - write a new
>  manual that only has examples.

You missed item 6, although you detailed its resolution in your last 
paragraph:

6.  Never used RPG IV; my vendor's lousy code isn't written in it.

Unfortunately, and at IBM's urging, the vendors are jumping straight to JAVA 
from RPG III.  RPG IV may _NEVER_ take off due to this circumstance...

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice, but in 
practice, there is." -- Anonymous  (thanks to Gary Kuznitz, though!)
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