Re: Another One Bites The Dust

["Robert W. Munday" <RWMunday@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,


<<<  I was informed here on Friday that the AS400 (iSeries) will be replaced 
in the coming year by I think it is an Oracle based system  >>>

I don't know why these folks want to replace the iSeries with "something 
better".  A few years ago, one client hired some Java programmers because a 
higher-up heard the buzzwords "Java" and "Websphere" and wanted to convert 
every application to Java.  Java is a slug compared to RPG and the concept 
only lasted a few months.  The Java folks were let go and the client is a 
solid RPG shop now.


<<<  one of the main reasons that the guy gives (although I feel it is just 
one excuse he can point to) is the lack of skilled programmers.  >>>

As a skilled programmer, I find that there is a serious lack of iSeries 
shops in which to work.  There is no work in my home town and almost none in 
my home state.  In the past three years I have had to work in Nebraska, 
Indiana, South Carolina and Ohio because those were states where I could 
find programming work.  I have been in Ohio for over a year with at least 
nine months to go.  I'd like to go home but I have a famliy to support and 
if I desired to toil twice as hard for one-fourth of the pay, I'm sure I 
*could* find a job at home.  It would mean downsizing our lifestyle... we'd 
have to move out of the double-wide and get a single. That would also put us 
in a section of the mobile home park I really want to avoid.


Robert Munday
Munday Software Consultants
Montgomery, AL
on assignment in Dublin, OH