Re: What counts as technically slick?

[rob@xxxxxxxxx]

<snip>
Technologies should not be implemented until they can be properly
supported,
which means training.
<snip>

Yet, what do you do when you hire Jon Paris to come on site for a few days,
send the same people off to yet another RPG training course for a week,
send them to 'a Day with Charlie Massoglia' session on RPGIV,
and yet to see them use CVTRPGSRC or a subprocedure?

Rob Berendt

==================
Remember the Cole!


                                                                                
                 
                    David & Eileen Keck                                         
                 
                    <bstars@optonline.n        To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com  
                 
                    et>                        cc:                              
                 
                    Sent by:                   Subject:     Re: What counts as 
technically       
                    owner-midrange-l@mi        slick?                           
                 
                    drange.com                                                  
                 
                                                                                
                 
                                                                                
                 
                    04/06/2001 03:26 AM                                         
                 
                    Please respond to                                           
                 
                    MIDRANGE-L                                                  
                 
                                                                                
                 
                                                                                
                 




There is something to be said for "good enough".  If a business relies on
technologies (i.e. coding techniques) which are not well understood by most
of the developers in that shop, then serious support issues can arise for
that business.  In an RPG shop with no C talent, you may come in and
significantly speed up a process with a clever bit of C code.  When you are
unavailable one day and that critical business process fails, the RPG
programmers shall certainly curse your clever enhancement. The business
executives will rightly criticize IS management for putting the business at
risk by not creating and enforcing standards.  A business needs compelling
reasons to implement new technologies because there are risks and costs.
Technologies should not be implemented until they can be properly
supported,
which means training.  Logically, this applies even to the level of coding
techniques.
- Dave K. (who enjoys learning and doing things in new ways)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Buck Calabro" <Buck.Calabro@commsoft.net>
To: <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 1:56 PM
Subject: What counts as technically slick?


> I just got re-subscribed after an email domain change and stumbled in the
> middle of the "technically slick vs. good enough" discussion.
>
> When I modify an existing 1990 vintage RPG II style program, one of the
> first things I do is to convert the code into RPG IV.  After that, I
convert
> the section I'm working on into a subprocedure.  I've been called bad
names
> because of this.  Apparently the namecallers think this is just too
> technical for their taste.
>
> Is it?
>
> In lieu of my usual tirade on the topic, let me ask this: Why would a
> company _not_ want the most technically competent programmers?  What
makes
> lower standards a Good Thing?  Fiscal expediency?  If so, that's fine,
but
> the boss that says that to me had better never utter the words Mission
> Critical in my hearing.
>
> My view: As a programmer, my main product; _my value_ is that I produce
> programs.  The more skilled I am at producing programs, the more value I
> provide to my employer.  I fail to comprehend how settling for Good
Enough
> increases or even maintains my skill level.
>
> Buck Calabro
> Commsoft; Albany, NY
> "Nothing is so firmly believed as
>  that which we least know" -- Michel Montaigne
> Visit the Midrange archives at http://www.midrange.com
> +---
> | This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
> | To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
> | To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
> | To unsubscribe from this list send email to
MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
> | Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
david@midrange.com
> +---
>

+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to
MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
david@midrange.com
+---



+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---