Re: Why NOT the web?

["Nathan M. Andelin" <nandel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I have a customer that wants to re-develop their entire "ERP"
> solution using .NET...
> I've told them that the web is not for this kind of
> stuff...
> even though I KNOW it's wrong to go that way, I can't
> think of how to make my point...

Art,

Your thread seems to have run its course last month, but it has several
intriguing elements.  HTML vs. 5250.  Wintel vs. iSeries.  The growing
appeal of .Net technology.  Losing business to a company in India.

I suspect most users would prefer an HTML interface over 5250, even for an
ERP application, if done right.  The following screen shots depict a model
we're using for Header/Lines Maintenance applications:

http://www.relational-data.com/ascent/xur120/menu.jpg
http://www.relational-data.com/ascent/xur120/person1.jpg
http://www.relational-data.com/ascent/xur120/person2.jpg
http://www.relational-data.com/ascent/xur120/person3.jpg

Since your customer seems committed to pursuing an HTML interface, it may be
fruitless arguing the merits of 5250 over HTML.  The question may come down
to whether you want to continue loosing business to a .Net provider in
India, or to secure your future by offering something comparable, or even
better, using iSeries technology.

Since your customer seems committed to working with an offshore developer,
perhaps you could secure a piece of the business by offering an iSeries
based access control system, like the one depicted in the first screen shot.
Menu items could link to iSeries based applications, as well as .Net
applications.  If both sets of developers were to use the same style sheets
and HTML templates, then it would be hard to tell the difference between
.Net applications and RPG applications, except the RPG applications would
perform better, scale better, be more reliable, have fewer security and
deployment concerns, require less support ... ;-)

HTH,

Nathan.