RE: webfacing and competing products

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Don McIntyre
>
> Joe & others,
> How do you handle, or suggest to handle the UI for non-dds based
> applications (i.e.  os/400 menus, WRKSPLF, WRKSYSSTS...etc)?

You need to balance the real business need with the how much work you are
willing to do.  How many users actually need WRKSYSSTS?  Remember, a zero
CPW machine still supports a single interactive display for operator access.
But if you really need some functions, you can roll your own using APIs.
I'm currently working on partial replacements for some functions, such as
WRKSPLF, using the APIs.  They're unlikely to be as fully featured as IBM's
commands, but in general they work fine.  And they'll be open source, so you
can use them as you please.  In fact, there used to be an open source
version of WRKSPLF available.  And Brad Stone's got a WRKSPLF replacement,
though it's not free, I don't think, and I don't know that he supplies
source.

And of course, if you need heavy access to certain features, OpsNav does
alot of it for you.

OS/400 menus can be replaced with DDS menus pretty quickly.  If you use
command prompting rather than actual DDS, you're in a more difficult
position.

Your question needs to be addressed on a case by case basis.  The more bound
you are to the OS/400 command line or the 5250 data stream, the less likely
it will be that your application can move to the web.  If you simply cannot
live without certain OS/400 specific features, then you're bound to the 5250
display.  The same holds true for people who used USRDFN data streams, or
OV/400.  It's either change your approach, or stick with an emulator and the
intteractive tax.  At least now you can put an exact price on what those
older technologies cost, and perhaps justify upgrading them.

Joe