IBM's failure to provide AD tools

["Jon Paris" <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 >> Thus, the languages and AD tools come out of Toronto...  Now, these
days, distance means nothing, in theory.  In actual practice, your talking a
wide gap in mindset.

I have to comment on this, although I should admit up-front that I am an
ex-Toronto (and ex-Rochester for that matter) developer.

In my opinion - these days I find the Toronto crew have a far better
understanding of what their customers need/want than do most of the
Rochester developers I meet.  The majority of the Rochester developers who
really understood what the 400 was all about are retired, or working for
BPs.  Those who remain are Unix/Linux folks who happen to work on the 400.
If Rochester had their way there would probably be no RPG (or at least no
enhancements) there would be no Code/400, no VARPG, no WebFacing, etc. etc.
The Java Toolbox, C/C++ and Ops-Nav would be about all there was.

Following the infamous hamburger ad, it took Rochester a good two years to
understand that their RPG users could not afford to dump everything and just
leap into Java (ignoring the fact that it wasn't a good idea anyway).  It is
only in the last 12 months or so that they have realized (in some quarters
at least) that they need to join the Toronto folks in trying to move
customers forward incrementally.

Of course there are many in Software Group who neither know nor care about
the 400 - and because of that the 400 crew don't get the funding or support
they need to really do their job.  I fault Rochester for much of this - as
the platform owner, if they really care about their RPG users they have the
ways and means to ensure that Software Group fully support them.  The fact
that they don't should tell you something.  The Toronto group working on the
400 are as dedicated to the platform as any group you'd find in Rochester.
I know many who have effectively risked their careers by insisting that they
stay in the 400 arena and not work on AIX or whatever.

As I said - just my opinion, but I do at least have some idea what goes on
behind the scenes.

Jon Paris
Partner400