Alan brings up a good point. That's why right now I’m settling for a broad cursory knowledge rather than doing a deep dive in one language/environment.
Make absolutely sure your management's OK with implementing new things. I get enough grief about using modern RPG techniques. If I did something like an Android app, I'd face death by firing squad.
-----Original Message-----
From: Aaron Bartell [mailto:aaronbartell@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2017 11:12 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Looking for opinions on education
I don't know if anybody has said it but the problem with learning new
languages is using them. You can spend the time, learn a language but unless you have some reason to use it, it just isn't going to stick. That is the kicker. You really need to be in place where you can use the language.
Very true.
Non-profits are a great outlet for learning something new.
For example, a few years ago I wrote an integration for rfkmankato.com that communicated with PayPal that allowed campers to be sponsored. I didn't know AngularJS at the time, so given the hype it had I chose that as the front-end.
The other thing to do is look at the needs of your current employer and develop something on your own time. You'd be surprised how tangibly relevant some of these technologies can be even if they're only used on the intranet. For example, I am finishing up a small mobile app for a customer that wanted to scan boxes coming off a truck. Before the Android app they had a "dumb" scanner (no interface) and couldn't tell which boxes were remaining and which had already been scanned). This meant that they would have to walk across the shop floor to a PC to remedy issues.
The technologies used were Cordova (aka Phonegap)** on the Android device and Node.js on the IBM i, which in turn calls existing RPG programs for business logic. Total project time, around 60hrs. These low-risk projects are great for testing the waters with new technologies. Don't start out rewriting your entire ERP in a new language that you're unfamiliar with because there is no end in sight (those projects take years).
**Allows you to write app using HTML/CSS/Javascript without touching Java code. Very useful.
Aaron Bartell
IBM i hosting, starting at $157/month. litmis.com/spaces
midrange.com
