RE: Green screen to GUI

The argument reminds me of VHS vs, Beta Max.  Of course the lesson there is
that both are now dead.  

The follow on question becomes "OK, what follows GUI?" 
 
---------------------------------
Booth Martin
http://www.martinvt.com
---------------------------------
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Date: 09/21/05 09:45:48
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: Green screen to GUI
 
Hi Jeff,
 
  I have felt the same for a long time.  It is
annoying/embarrassing/exasperating to be talking to someone outside the
company about a project,  explaining that we are running on the
As/400-iSeries-i5, only to be met with the 'Oh, that's one of those old
legacy machines isn't it?' or something similar.  There is nothing I can
say.  I've tried all the possibilities - 'Dear, the AS/400 was a 64 bit
powerhouse while Windows was only...' and so forth.  Anything I say has no
effect - for the most part - they don't have the knowledge or experience to
comprehend.  The only thing that would make a dent in their smug dismissal
would be a true graphical interface and the tools to make easy use of it.
 
  We had better admit it - we live in a graphical world.  All the
integration/stability/security in the world will not win over the
uneducated/inexperienced, but one simple graphical interface can start the
process. (a picture is worth more than a thousand words)
 
  I have been an c/rpg programmer since 1988 - mostly rpg.  I use
subprocedures and ILE and make use of the various API's available when
needed.  I have taken classes and read about java - we even use it
extensively in xml processing.  But I have just spent the previous week or
so blundering through trying to get a web service to run on WAS Express 5.0.
I finally succeeded,  but my point is the Microsoft guys I have worked with
would jeeringly state - 'I could have had that done in two hours on a
microsoft platform with microsoft tools.'  AND THEY ARE RIGHT!  I've seen
it. DAMMIT!
 
  I don't know what the answer is - I was interviewing a guy the other day -
bright guy - late 20's with a masters degree in cs - a real hot dog.  He
asked what kind of server we ran and I replied with the 'IBM iSeries'
string.  He replied yeah, but what does it run, Windows 2003 server?  He had
no idea what I was talking about.
 
  I don't know where I am going with this - I guess I'm just blowing off
steam.  But I am getting tired of everybody else (non-iSeries) blowing
through projects that I have to sweat blood to perform.  I need some tools
that are on a par with Micro$oft's.  I need wizards that ACTUALLY WORK!
Everything has to be ARCANE!  Even the simplest things have some little part
of it obfuscated in the manuals that make it a major effort to implement.
 
  Oh well, like Jeff said - Back to work...
 
Regards and apologies for ranting
 
Rick DuVall
Systems Manager
Dealer's Auto Auction of Okc
405 947-2886 Ext:143
rick@xxxxxxxxxx