RE: Lansa vs. Plex -- MIDRANGE-L

Jimmy:

We are a Lansa solutions partner, but I also speak as being a user of Lansa
too.

We evaluated Plex when I think it was called 2e, and then Obsydian.  We were
happy with how Obsydian worked, but at the time Synon was in such bad shape
that we couldn't get training, support, etc.  The Obsydian learning curve at
the time was huge.   We couldn't even get started without training.

We moved on to Lansa, and we were impressed with their demo.  Lansa
maintains a repository of your fields, files and business rules.  Most of
the development work with Lansa is with the repository.  The repository
holds logical views, access routes, etc.  You can define Predetermined Join
Fields.  These work well where you have a lookup to another record for a
value.  For instance, your order header has a customer#, you can setup the
repository where every FETCH to the order header also retrieves the full
name and address from the customer file.  Lansa of course does two fetches
in their I/O module, but you don't need to know that.  Business rules are
also enforced in the I/O Module. 

The core Lansa development language, RDML, is very understandable to an RPG
programmer (like me).  Instead of CHAIN, you use FETCH.  Instead of SETLL,
you use SELECT.  Instead of EXFMT, you use REQUEST.  We went to a 5 day
training course and we were writing RDML after that.  Interestingly, the
first 3 days were on the repository, since it's so important.

RDML can be deployed, with no changes, to 5250, Windows, and Web.  In fact,
you can develop RDML on a PC and submit compiles to ISeries which generates
DDS and RPG/IV (or RPG ILE), PC which generates C+, or Web which of course
generates HTML.

However, the interface, which they call their Universal Interface (UI), will
look basically the same on all 3 platforms.  So while it will run on
Windows, it's not very GUI.  Same on the web.  

BTW, Lansa can connect to a number of different servers, ISeries, Oracle or
Sql server on NT, Oracle on Unix, AIX, etc.

Now, let's say you really want to get GUI on windows though. Lansa has
Visual Lansa.  It lets you use that RDML code that you have already written
and put drop downs, grids, tree views, etc.  The editor is much like the
other visual language editors.

VL (which is in version 10.0)  supports inheritance, dynamic referencing,
reusable components, etc.  It uses Event Routines, Methods, Properties, etc.

VL also includes a framework for free that helps you develop GUI even
faster.

If you want to be truly windows, you will use VL.  

If you want to be really webby, you will eventually end up coding some HTML
and Javascript.  I don't use Lansa/web much, but it happens I am doing a
project right now.  To be honest, I don't see much advantage of Lansa/web to
an Iseries RPG shop who is looking to go web over Brad Stones E-RPG or Joe
Pluta's webfacing tool.  However, it's great for existing Lansa shops
because they can leverage all of that RDML.

The good news for Lansa/web is that Lansa has told us in version 11 or 12
(new versions come out approximately every 6-8 months), that we will be able
to run our Visual Lansa components on the web.  That's where we want to be.

A nice, fully GUI, drop down tree list explorer type interface on the web.
They say they can do it, so I trust them for now :)

They have other products like Lansa/Integrator which will help you
send/receive XML, integrate with other websites via Java, etc.  I've never
used or seen that product, so I'm sure I'm selling it short.  It's one of
Lansa's hottest sellers now.

Sorry about the long post, but you asked :-)

Art Tostaine, Jr.
CCA, Inc.
Jackson, NJ 08527


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@midrange.com
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@midrange.com] On Behalf Of Green, Jimmy
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 9:15 AM
To: Midrange-L (E-mail)
Subject: Lansa vs. Plex

We are converting from mainframe to iSeries.  We are evaluating development
tools.  We have narrowed it down to Lansa and CA's advantage Plex.  I was
wondering about some real users opions of the products.  Do more prefer Plex
or Lansa? Maybe some pros and cons for both.

Thanks for your help!!!

Jimmy Green
I.T. Operations Mgr.
Grocery Supply Co.
903 885-7621 Ext 268

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