Re: CL improvements -- MIDRANGE-L

Brad,

Comments (and rants) inline... (get a cup of java, oh sorry, I meant to
say coffee...)

"Stone, Brad V (TC OASIS)" wrote:
> 
> I would say no as well.  We don't need programs written in CL alone.  I hate
> CLs that have screens in them.  Use RPG!

IMHO, there is nothing "evil" about a parameter prompt screen within a
batch CL driver.  I do agree that since RPG is not a wide spread
language, CL has even narrower portability, so as you stated:

> 
> CL is what it is.. Control Language.

Yes it is.  Each platform has it's own "control language".  Ok... some
have more than one.  We could all dump CL for REXX. (yea, sure...it
could happen <g>)  I recall entire applications that used RPG "driver"
programs that handled everything.  I mean everything! They were used for
menus (with the ugly calls to qcmdexc). It can be done, but why?
Clarity?  This was before the CAT op code!  UGGLLLY!
> 
> Now, if you were to look at the other side of the coin, adding the ability
> to perform CL from RPG would be a plus.  This is, of course, without writing
> your own procedures that do this (which works well anyhow).

Brad, this is where I thought "integrated" language would lead to. Heck,
we've been able to call any language written program for years.
"Integrated", when I first read the intro letters, meant, to me, direct
execution.  Maybe in addition to the new "CF" spec a "CL" spec (freeform
of course) would be welcomed.

In defense of CL, it does what it was designed to do very well.  It's
just a tool.  

Maybe the question should -not- be "How do you wish to enhance CL?",
but: "Why CL?".

What do you think? JAVA as a "control language"?  It has a JIT compiler
so it's not as bad as OCL/JCL/REXX/BAT files.  BASIC? (Well, don't
laugh, it was JIT compiled since the S/34)

It could happen ... pigs could fly ... <g>

Sorry, I got carried away there for a moment. Whew.

Oh yes, CL is the topic.

IMHO, we, as the professional community, are faced with classic
transitions of the "CL" de jour.  The geezers learned JCL, others OCL,
maybe got a taste of CL on the S/38, some got our jollies with REXX,
others claim PERL is the new sliced bread.  Been TCL'ed? (that's
tickled)

So, maybe I agree, why enhance CL.  What's its future in the ILE
paradigm?  Even if all enhancements were delivered, we would still have
a platform dependent solution. Is that really a desired goal?
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