RE: "RPG isn't cool" (was: Re: IBM Secret) -- MIDRANGE-L

This is amusing... actually, VERY amusing!  =)  But... It seems to me
(inexperienced and unworldly as I may be) that if the younger generation
is not learning RPG then the shortage of quality programmers is (I
imagine) surely expected to become worse.  How long do you suppose it
will be before IT managers would be FORCED to look at alternatives to
the AS/400 due to resource and software maintenance costs?  If IBM
doesn't consider this a serious situation... perhaps they should?  Or
are they really throwing ALL their eggs in the JAVA basket??  Maybe it's
not so amusing after all.

Roger Boucher
Standard Pacific Corp.
rboucher@stanpac.com
714-668-4326


-----Original Message-----
From: V. Leveque [mailto:vleveque@earthlink.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 8:02 AM
To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject: RE: "RPG isn't cool" (was: Re: IBM Secret)


If you really want to make RPG cool, do the following:

1.  Stop calling ti RPG. Name it after an unusual animal (call it llama
or
unicorn)
2.  Develop a linux version and offer it for free with Redhat
3.  Convince O'Reilly to do a book on the language, with an engraving of
the
unusual animal on the cover
4.  Pretend the language has nothing to do with the AS/400.  Let people
find
that out later
5.  Once they find out this incredibly cool language is supported by the
AS/400, they will want to learn the AS/400 in droves




At 08:59 AM 5/11/99 +0100, you wrote:
>I agree again, it all comes down to marketing of the AS400 / RPG, not
>the hardware or language itself!
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: DeVries, Barbara [mailto:BDeVries@cfund.org]
>Sent: Monday, May 10, 1999 7:07 PM
>To: 'MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com'
>Subject: RE: "RPG isn't cool" (was: Re: IBM Secret)
>
>
>
>Hans wrote:
>
>Now, let's assume that being "cool" is a desirable
>quality in a programming language.  If we were to try to
>change RPG from an "uncool" language to a "cool" language,
>is there a single easy thing we could do to improve the
>language?
>
>
>Barbara writes:
>I don't believe that the structure of the language or it's ability or
>the
>AS400's ability has anything to do with RPG's and AS400's lack of
>coolness.
>IBM doesn't promote it's certification.  Nobody cares, whereas MCSE is
>super-cool.
>IBM doesn't have big shows at hotels for free every month to make
people
>feel warm and part of a family.
>IBM doesn't give membership cards to an Insider's Club.
>IBM doesn't have evening presentations for free with pizza at their
>corporate office to help professionals use their products.   IBM
doesn't
>give free cool T-shirts, meet at the movie theater, give pins, pens,
and
>doesn't help with training materials except for their outrageously
>expensive
>classes.  There are no certification clubs.
>It isn't cool because of attitude.  It isn't cool because it is not
>attainable by youth with time and eagerness, but no money.
>This lack of "coolness" hurts us professionally, as we lose opportunity
>to
>inferior products, services, and paradigms, in some cases (not all).
>Just a comparison from where I sit.  I wish things were different, but
>they're not.
>My only recourse as a professional is to straddle the fence.  
>
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