RE: Future of AS/400 ??????????????:(:

["Stone, Brad V (TC)" <bvstone@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

--snip--

> RPG is not
> the language of choice for creating web pages or generating 
> HTML - CGI,
> Perl, and Java are much more common.

Says you.

  Most of the people who 
> know how to
> create excellent web sites know those languages and know how 
> to work in a
> Unix plus Windows environment 

Someone read PC week too much.  Cold Fusion is the popular choice in TRW.
And Cold Fusion, well, I'll stop there.  Again, you're confusing "pretty
pictures" with "useful site".

- Unix for the Apache web host and CGI
> environment and Windows for the browser.  Your RPG 
> programmers are still
> providing data to the DHTML apps but they aren't in the web 
> business at all.

so teach them (or give them the chance to learn)!  With their knowlegde of
the business they are the PERFECT choice for this job.  But, close-minded
management who relate RPG with Green Screen and PCs with Pretty Web Pages
are screwing it all up, and screwing their RPG programmers out of
advancement into new challenges.  I'm sure you have at least a few RPGers
who would do Web serving.

Ever seen what type of system someone who doesn't know your system will
make?  Do you hear those screams?  Those are your RPG programmers screaming
about the file layouts they created that don't even belong in any "normal
form" category that they have to deal with..  

Even if your RPGers aren't web programmers and don't want to be, they should
be involved in the design process.  But until people realize that online
sites are not just pretty pictures we wouldn't even think about using the
best resource available.  Consultants know it all, right.  Pffft.

The AS/400 is a good machine.  RPG is a good language.  We can Read PC week
and regurgitate all the hype but when it comes down to it if you haven't
used Java or XML, don't tout it's strengths.  Likewise don't say RPG can't
do what Perl of Java can because it can, and MUCH easier.  Try file access
for starters.  And with free format RPG coming out, there should be NO
excuses.  

Brad
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