RE: Free OS/400

On 6/30 Carel Teijgeler says:

> I agree with him on the graphical interface: the nonsense of OpsNav is a 
> full lie...

> But the main point is the difference between an GUI like Windows and the 
> green screen of an AS/400. The development of recent years has seen a
shift 
> to GUI and the Web. All new programmes should be focussed on that. The 
> AS/400 is not graphical, thus can be used as a server; hence, the revival 
> of C/S and the rise of the Web.


Again, Windows is the client, not the server.  NT didn't become a server for
graphical solutions because the server is graphical in nature -- it's a
server for GUI apps. because it doesn't really have its own client
interface.  The AS/400 provided a consistent, stable terminal interface and
thus got a bad rap as a "green screen" system.  Look at Unix:  How many
terminal types or telnet versions are there?  I have third party Unix
software compatible with some or none of our TTY, VT, or WYSE interfaces.
We actually have to configure two or three different Telnet emulations for
the same server to work with all our software.

Deploying a graphical application for any server is very different than
bringing up a terminal interface.  For a GUI solution you have to design or
select an architecture, configure clients, application servers and/or web
servers.  You can do the same thing on the AS/400, but it's much easier to
fall back on 5250 based application BECAUSE YOU CAN.

Gee, maybe IBM had the right idea when they created the Interactive Feature
pricing structure.  By charging a small fortune for the green screen
interface maybe it will force us to start using the system as a server
instead of as a baby mainframe.

-Jim

James Damato
Manager - Technical Administration
Dollar General Corporation
<mailto:jdamato@dollargeneral.com>

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