Re: Have you read this?

["L. S. Russell" <leslier@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> A.  No free compiler available, ergo no way to test code prior to posting.
Well that would be a valid argument but for the fact that open source
began on *nix systems long before linux hit the streets. Open source is
a proven software development model. 
http://www.tuxedo.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/

> C.  No students here, we're all working 50-90 hours/week as it is.
Again a valid argument, except that many on this list claim to be
teachers, they could and I am sure will point their students to open
source as a way to enhance their skills quickly. 

> D.  Due to C and the nature of the AS/400 itself (see A and B), there's no
> way to have peer review of code before it goes out to the general public.
That's just the point the general public in conjunction with open source
developers will not only review the software, but maintain it as well.
To quote Eric S. Raymond; ``Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are
shallow''.

> E.  Far too few people using ILE, stored procedures, and their ilk to come 
>>up with a meaningful library.
The question here is, do few people use procedure prototyping because
they don't understand it? If this is true, what better way to learn than
to see it done and to be allowed to tinker with the code yourself.  

--
L. S. Russell Programmer/Analyst
Datrek Professional Bags, Inc.
2413 Industrial Drive
Springfield, TN. 37172
mailto:leslier@datrek.com
http://www.datrek.com
--
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