Re: midrange modernization tour question

Paul, kind of disagree with you there. In a very real sense, VB6 programmers 
and RPG programmers are in the same boat. 

ILE RPG is a whole new language, a complete different way of thinking and 
people on the AS/400 are fighting ILE as hard or harder than VB6 programmers 
are fighting VB.NET. I can't really say that ILE RPG is compatible with the old 
RPG. The way you write code is just so different. If you want to write ILE RPG, 
you are basically in the same boat as the VB6 people, rewrite or leave the old 
stuff and use ILE for new development. 

I kind of think that we would have been better off if IBM had given us that 
choice. New compiler for ILE development. You want to stay in the old monolith 
world, just keep writing RPG III. As I have said many times, I think IBM should 
still do it. Quit screwing around with the old stuff and give us a clean new 
version. If people are going to write RPG III monolith code, they are just 
going to keep doing that. Why do they want new features? At least that is what 
it is like in my shop. 20 some programmer just writing RPG III in RPG IV and I 
am only using ILE. One guy uses new features but still writes monolith. 
Everybody else writing RPG III in RPG IV and using nothing of new features. 

Just so I am clear, I am not saying that RPG IV is not compatible to the old 
RPG III. You can continue to write RPG III monolith programs in RPG IV to your 
hearts content but that is not ILE anymore than writing VB6 programs in VB.NET 
is writing VB.NET. 

Both represent the same problem. Giving up the old monolith ways and moving 
into modern languages. 

I agree absolutely that VB.NET is a completely new language but try to get a VB 
programmer to accept that. I worked with a group a few years ago and all I 
heard over and over again was, "It's just a new release". 

My own opinion is that Microsoft should have just ended the updates at VB6 and 
started moving everyone to C#. VB.NET stinks. Half one thing and half another. 
Start clean if you are going to have to rewrite anyway. 

Tying this back to the midrange. I read that a lot of VB shops are going to 
Java. If they are going to have to rewrite, why not rewrite in something more 
portable? This company I worked at a few years did just that although they 
screwed it up. 

>> message: 1
>> date: Tue, 14 Jun 2005 15:29:15 -0400
>> from: "Paul Morgan" <pmorgan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> subject: Re: midrange modernization tour question

>> Steve,

>> Ooooo!  .NET programmers get what C++ programmers have had for a long time
>> and what Java programmers got about six months ago.

>> That major new release of ASP.NET is going to have so many compatibility
>>problems with the current version it ain't funny.  Ask all those VB 6.0
>> folks if VB.NET was compatible.  Most of them are STILL balking at moving to
>> VB.NET.  It's the same language in name only.  Nowadays Microsoft doesn't
>> give a damn about release compatibility.  You won't find that problem on the
>> Iseries.  You're right that there is no comparison.

>>Paul

--
Paul Morgan
Senior Programmer Analyst - Retail
J. Jill Group
100 Birch Pond Drive, PO Box 2009
Tilton, NH 03276-2009
Phone: (603) 266-2117
Fax:   (603) 266-2333

Steve wrote

> .NET programmers are getting generics and a major new release of
> ASP.NET in November 2005.   RPG is getting a few new %bifs.  There is
> no comparison.