Re: RPG compiler for Windows survey

["Simon Coulter" <shc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Œ
Hello Bob,

You wrote:
>A)     Are you interested in having RPGIII and RPG IV available as a
>compiled language/development environment on the PC under Windows?
>(YES/NO)

A resounding NO!  If I choose to do PC development then I will write it in
Java.  That way it will run on OS/2, Mac, Linux, WinWhatever (even if MS
don't provide a JVM you can bet that IBM will).  Failing that I would use C,
at least then much of the source would be compatible.

Also, since many sites seem to be willing to struggle on with CODE/400 (the
LPEX editor is good -- it's the surrounding environment that's crap,
probably exacerbated by running on unreliable Windoze) and if they have
CODE/400 then they also have VRPG so one wonders why buy yet another
development environment?

>B)     Are you willing to pay for such a compiler/development
>environment out of your own pocket? (YES/NO)

No.  I'd rather buy a Java IDE -- and there are plenty of free ones that are
good.

>C)     Regardless of whether or not your are willing to pay for it out
>of your own pocket, what is the highest amount you would be willing to
>pay for a pretty good, RPGIII, RPGIV and DDS compiler than allowed your
>generate PC-based applications and provided source code compatibility
>with the AS/400 compiler?

It would have to be better than 'pretty good' for me to consider it.  I can
get 'pretty good' C compilers free of charge and I can get very good Java
IDEs free of charge (note that? Free of charge.  Not for free.  You can't
get anything 'for free'.  It is syntactically incorrect.  You can get
something for nothing, you can get something free of charge, but never for
free).

I can't see people porting AS/400 applications to PCs (regardless of the
stupid things I constantly witness in the IT world) so who is your target
market?

If it is 'pretty good' and you are targetting AS/400 developers who simply
want to write some PC code using the only language they know then possibly
USD100 would be acceptable.  If it is product quality code and targetting
businesses at a similar level to VRPG then you already have a pricing model
in WebSphere Studio.  You can't be dearer than the competition unless you
are significantly better (and even then short-sighted, tight-fisted managers
will buy the cheaper crap).

Regards,
Simon Coulter.

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