RE: Application development tools (was: no subject)

>IMHO IBM ought to give away the whole ADT
>toolset (PDM,SEU,DFU..etc) AND Query, though
>I don't suppose they ever will

Probably not, and for the same reason that none of us have written freeware
editing tools.  Who can afford to?

>...but I don't want to pay extra for the 'privilege'
>of being able to write a few CL programs to help
>automate operations, customise my signon
>screen or run adhoc queries over my data.

When I am stuck in a 'production only' environment (no compilers, no
editors) I use FTP to get the source member to a PC and then NOTEPAD or even
EDLIN to make changes.  Then it's FTP back and CRTCLPGM/CRTDSPF.  For ad hoc
queries, QMQRY acts as a surrogate command-line SQL front end.  In S/38 days
I used CPYF INCREL/INCCHAR for the same thing.  For command prompting, I use
a command line, F4, F14, copy/paste.  I would not dream of doing it this way
for a living, but when I'm stuck...

I truly believe that for the vast majority of iSeries developers, SEU has
more editing power than they will ever use.  I foresee SEU/PDM as the number
one pirated software on iSeries in 2010, with it's own clandestine support
newsgroups for hacking new formats for new stuff like OPNQRYF.  Is this a
sour comment or a sober reflection on the state of iSeries development
organisations?  Only the gentle reader can decide.
  --buck