Re: Development ideas -- MIDRANGE-L

To agree with Joe, I would look at a Java solution.

You can develop for one platform and have a lot of flexibility to move to
another if needed.

The same expertise your coders have on making the server side application
components will also extend to make a java "fat client" or web based applet.

JDBC will interact with nearly all databases out there (from DB2 to
PostgreSQL (open source)).

The only thing I would recommend besides Java would be C, then next
"portable" language.

I think when redeveloping applications, you want to avoid "lock in"
situations,which would be the situation when using RPG or COBOL.  You will
be basically forcing reliance on the AS/400. Going a Java route, it makes
you more adaptable, as I see it.

Adam Lang
Systems Engineer
Rutgers Casualty Insurance Company
http://www.rutgersinsurance.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Pluta" <joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com>
To: <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2002 10:46 AM
Subject: RE: Development ideas


> > From: McBride, Catherine
> >
> >      We have an opportunity to rewrite an entire system using whatever
> > platform we select.  It's currently mainframe based.  I have been
> > asked what
> > development languages and tools there are for the AS400.  We have
> > an 820 and
> > use RPG and COBOL already.  What this programming group seems to
> > be looking
> > for is object-oriented type stuff, though.  We're fairly new to the
AS400
> > world.  Is there GUI-based application development for the AS400?  What
> > languages?  The programming staff would like to be able to
> > develop and test
> > quickly, and have a full complement of programming tools to work
> > with.  The
> > programmers who would be writing this system have VB and SQL server
> > experience.  If any of you have suggestions for us, we'd be very
> > appreciative.   Thanks much!
>
> Wow!  What an opportunity!
>
> There are a million questions that should probably be asked, but let me
> preface this by saying that the iSeries (a/k/a the AS/400) can work and
play
> just fine in an SQL environment.  Many of the folks on this list are very
> versed in using SQL, especially the wonders of stored procedures, to
> efficiently interface between languages such as VB and the more
> business-oriented languages such as RPG and COBOL.
>
> Okay, on to a couple of your questions.  There is no native GUI for the
> iSeries, although there is extensive support for browser-based UI.  Is
your
> application going to require a thick-client interface or a browser
> interface?  If thick-client, are you a Windows shop or will you be using
> non-Windows platforms at some time?
>
> The reason I ask these question is because they will determine your choice
> of UI development tools.  The fact that your developers are primarily VB
> folks means they will be skewed towards Windows thick client interface,
but
> you need to be sure that this is what your end users need.  For example, a
> thick-client interface may not be the best for Internet access.
>
> And even if you do go with a thick client, I would suggest looking
carefully
> into an n-tier architecture, where there is little or no business logic on
> the workstation.  Instead, the business logic (validating transactions,
> updating the database, and so on) would be written in a traditional
iSeries
> language such as RPG, and the thick client would access these programs
> either through stored procedures or through a more traditional
client/server
> protocol.
>
> In this sort of tiered architecture, the iSeries is a powerful server.
It's
> built in security and auditing features make it a great centralized data
> repository.  Not only that, with a good n-tier design, you can support
> different UIs based on your needs.  The same business logic servers can
> support thick clients written in VB, Linux application written with Java,
> and browser-based applications usnig servlets and JavaServer Pages.
>
> Anyway, I just thought I'd chime in on some of the things that make an
> iSeries a great server for an application such as this.
>
> Joe
>
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