Re: Perl (was: text equation -- MIDRANGE-L



Simon wrote:
>Hello Hans,
>
>And I fail to understand why companies that use the world's best OS
(OS/400) settle for
>a second-rate, half-arsed effort like Windoze?  I know a lot of it is
driven by
>technically inept managers who do confuse SELL with INSTALL, but why do
the rest of the
>technical staff put up with it?
>
>I would be quite happy to see more AS/400 related tools available on
Linux, but Linux
>(like all Unix systems) is still too hard to use as a tool.  I installed
RedHat Linux on
>my Thinkpad just to prove I could but I do all my work with OS/2 'cause it
is easier to
>use.  I like the WorkPlace Shell.  Maybe if that existed on Linux I'd be
happier with
>it.

>Linux has a low entry cost but a high support cost.  It still requires
full-time
>pointy-heads to make it run and while I know that situation is quite
likely to improve,
>I doubt it will ever get truly transparent.  The entire philosophy of Unix
is geared to
>the bit-twiddler, not the user.  A PC for me is just a tool, and I do not
want to spend
>all my time messing with the tool.  When IBM finally stuff up OS/2
support, I'll move to
>Apple.
>
>Hans, I doubt you have a choice in what OS you use at work.  You may have
a little more
>freedom since you are in development, but IBM have standardised world-wide
on Windoze of
>one sort or another.  Why?  Because they get a better deal on the license
costs for the
>PCs they sell.  They are simply knuckling under to MS demands.
>
>...
>
>Damn! I was being so good about not responding to various inane comments
and threads
>over the past few months.  I feel better now.  I really do not want to get
involved in
>yet another e-mail argument about OS's and directions, but Jeez, IBM, get
your act
>together!
>

Hi Simon!  I understand your frustration completely!  I like OS/2
too, but I really wonder if it ever stood a chance.  Right from
the beginning, it was hobbled by heavy resource requirements, and
that gave it a reputation it never could shake.  By the time V2.1
came out, many machines were powerful enough to run it, but still
few were willing to give it a chance.  In some ways, OS/2 was a
liability for us.  Even when VA/RPG was available for Windows,
many of our customers still thought of it as an OS/2 product and
never gave it a second thought!

"Knuckling under to MS demands"? Like most other companies, we're
driven by what the customer wants.  And our AS/400 customers are
demanding workstation tools on Windows!

So, while I mourn the demise of OS/2 (OK, some people argue it's
still viable), I tend to agree with the company's strategy to cut
bait and move on to the next battle.  Things change too much in
this industry.  Client/server has long been discredited already,
and now web-based, thin-client architectures are "in".

Regarding MS, although most people use their products, does
anyone really like them?  They've got big problems on their hands,
and I'm confident that they'll end up with even more egg on their
faces.

Regarding Linux, the really hot programmers are quickly moving
there.  Look at KDE, for example.  The version in development now
has some stuff that can put Windows to shame.  Not that it's
bigger and better than Windows, but KDE is being done by part-
time volunteers.  In other words, a couple of dozen part-time
hackers can out-program hundreds of well-paid professionals in
Redmond!

Cheers!  Hans

Hans Boldt, ILE RPG Development, IBM Toronto Lab, boldt@ca.ibm.com


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