Re: APIs was Last RRN

[nina jones <ddi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I hate to say this but why oh why do AS/400 programmers not invest in at
> least the tiniest bit of self education? I am truly amazed at the lack of
> desire to learn that I have come across from time to time. This is something
> completely foreign to me and to most other programming platforms. I think
> the lack to RTFM also stems from this mentality.


i think there are several reasons:

the lack of cheap and available manuals!  you can't go to hastings and
buy as/400 for dummies.  

and i haven't heard much good to say about ibm's on line manuals.  (i
miss the old hard copy manuals.  those that i could pour over, make
notes in, etc.)  

we get set in our ways.  i find that hard to believe that other
platforms would not have that problem too.  unless the cost to upgrade
is relatively cheap. 

which leads me to the next one, the cost of keeping current.  you can go
to the vo-tech and take microsoft type computer classes, but as/400
classes like this are now scarce.  the self study courses that are
available are expensive, especially compared to things like 'learn vb in
21 days'

when you are wearing your contractor's hat, you go by the rules that the
shop you're working for follows.  you can discuss new techniques with
them, but if they tell you don't use them, well, they are the ones
writing the check, and that have to maintain the code after you're gone.

nj
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