RE: RPGLE & RPG/400

On Friday, September 11, 1998 4:07 AM, Lisa Abney [SMTP:abney@IQUEST.NET] 
wrote:
> The developers I'm training have RPG experience ranging from 3 years to
> 23
> years, so I recognize it will not be an easy switch.  However, doing all
> our new development in a common language will be a great stride.  Many
> new
> programmers fresh out of school have never heard of the RPG cycle (as it
> should be!), and I certainly wouldn't want to teach them RPGII, RPGIII
> and
> RPGIV, just so they can maintain my system!

In all seriousness, if the "new guys" don't maintain the existing apps, 
who will?  Your current staff of "old guys?"

We have a very similar dilemma here.  If we try to attract new talent, but 
need to teach them "old" style programming, they don't want to hang around 
long.  If we leave the experienced people doing drudge-maintenance work, 
then they quickly become soured watching the new trainees getting to work 
with the cool new stuff.

Our compromise was to transition the old crew one at a time into the new 
stuff; not everyone goes at once, so we still have an experience base to 
maintain the old stuff.  It's also easier to train and keep a new hire 
when they can see that there's a genuine promotion path.

Buck Calabro
Commsoft, Albany, NY
mailto:mcalabro@commsoft.net

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* This is the RPG/400 Discussion Mailing List!  To submit a new         *
* message, send your mail to "RPG400-L@midrange.com".  To unsubscribe   *
* from this list send email to MAJORDOMO@midrange.com and specify       *
* 'unsubscribe RPG400-L' in the body of your message.  Questions should *
* be directed to the list owner / operator: david@midrange.com          *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *