RE: Using % type functions/using RPG IV

[Buck Calabro <buck.calabro@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Carl wrote:

>As a follow up to Hans' comments: moving to RPG IV is a 
>fairly major change for most companies when you consider 
>the learning  curve on the language improvements plus the 
>procedures, prototypes, ILE, etc., etc, etc..  Some of
>this stuff has been around for years but there's a lot of 
>old RPG still out there!  Why?

I have very strong feelings on this point.  It is a calumny for anyone to
repeat the phrase "consider the learning  curve on the language
improvements."  (Yes, I know there's more but I want to hit this one first!)

Improvement                     Learning curve
Longer variable names           0 seconds
Mixed case names                        0 seconds
32k strings                                     0 seconds
32k array elements                      0 seconds
10 character file names         0 seconds
White space!                            0 seconds

If your management objects to the learning curve for prototyped procedures
and ILE, then DON'T USE THEM.  There are more than enough benefits to using
RPG IV simply for the lessened restrictions and mixed case, longer field
names.

Why has the old RPG stayed out there?  I might answer by saying "inertia"
but I think that may be only part of the reason.  Almost everybody I know
learnt RPG by copying existing code.  Even if they knew RPG before coming to
their current job, they work on the applications by _copying existing code_
If the code they use is...elderly, then the code they create will be no
better.

By the way, I learnt to use subprocedures in about an hour.  I am a badly
educated, no-degree computer operator cum programmer.  I started with cards,
the cycle and MR.  If I can learn subprocedures, quite literally ANYBODY
can.  Think of them as baby programs; more self-contained than subroutines.
It helps.

Buck
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