Re: Looking into the Program stack

[István Rudas <Istvan@xxxxxxxxx>]

At 14:32 03.4.2000 -0400, HANS BOLDT wrote:
>>>Kent wrote:
>>>We have a program running for a couple of hours (7). When looking into the
>>> ... ... 
>Well, OK, I'll try to answer it anyways.  (I'll assume that
>this is one of only a few programs you haven't yet converted
>to RPG IV, right? :-)

This (last above) sentence in your very interesting answer to Kents
question gives me the idea, that you may suggest for OPM-Programmers to
convert them quickly and without major changes - as the IBM CVT Command
does it.

I did not, for two or more reasons and hope, you can lead me to any source
or information if my reasons are very very wrong:

(a) In a specific project, my collegue and I have only 20 Fingers for
maintaining a 700 PGM (OPM) Package, a CVT could only be done in a
Test-Environment (I would not dare to have PRODUCTION programs in a
"foreign language" and be dead after the first urgent customer
requirement); so I decided first to learn the RPG IV Rules and Writings by
doing some Sample Programs (=without business need) and to read/understand
the new Red Book, which was recommended by a lot of friends  and this
mailing list too. My experience with RPG-IV is 2 months old with one
handfull converted OPMs (so-la-la) which do work, but are surely not "new".

(b) I would not change to a new language just for it is new (would I, would
it not be JAVA? - No, not seriously, I tried). I would like to change with
usage of the major benefits of this language. The argument, IBM does invest
money and manpower in RPG-IV and not so much in the OPM RPG, is understood
and a good reason to change, but not to jump! I would better invest first
some brain time, how to arrange or rearrange the programs, decide, what
will become a Stored Procedure or becomes Part of a Serviceprogram (or
remains an internal Subroutine or simply an oldfashioned called OPM, if
this is not a sin or stupid). Therefore, after the simple Code-Conversion
with the IBM Command and maybe additional enhancement tools (I look for B.
V. Stone's) there are some severe changes to be done. 20 Fingers, I mentioned.

In this part, the redesign of (good working) OPM-Programs, I have some
fears, may be I think to much of earlier IBM Machines (back to /360, why
not?). 

What fears? I give you one as an example: in RPG-III, it is common to use
F4 to call a list (a subfile program) behind a code to make selections or
give further information. We have in this package about - let's say - 100
of such little (1.500 lines) programs. Do I make them all become one big
serviceprogram, which contains 100 modules which make in sum 150.000 lines
(just a lot of zeros, someone may say??); each of them has a DSPF of -let's
say- 1000 lines (another zeros, after a 1). Makes this sense? How does the
Main Storage act, loading the equivalent machine code of 250.000 lines,
when one finger presses the F4 Key? Is this not "baking a big pie",
resulting in bad performance, unnecesserily buying a bigger machine? Just
feeding Dollars into IBM? - Was the OPM construct not better from this
view: one fingertip on F4 loaded only the equivalent of 2500 lines? - Where
am I wrong?
I remember IBMs Chuck Stupca (great engineer! great COMMON Speaker!) once
teaching us not to worry about the machines power, it will page the chunks
in or out, faster than lightning, you will not feel any difference. On the
other hand, if I look around me, all machines (including this
.<no-no-word>.. PC  I write this now) have grown in the last years like
mad, mostly caused by programs which have also grown like mad?

..... yes, Sir, I continue to read the new Redbook. No question about this.

Thank you for your attention
István (from Austria)
------------------------------------------------------
István Rudas (Mr.),    R U D A S   EDV-Beratung
A-1060  W i e n,  (Austria),     Stiegengasse  4/4
Tel:  (+43/1) 587 43 71;    (+43/664) 308 79 78 
Fax:  (+43/1) 581 67 08; http://www.Rudas.net      
               mailto: Istvan@Rudas.net      
-------------------------------------------------------
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