Visual RPG vs. Other Visual languages was ->RE: Is RPG available on any other platform ?

>Aaron we've moved very far off topic.
Easy fix.  Just change the Subject.

I can see your point of going to VARPG if your shop is entirely RPG
programmers with little ambition to learn a different language.

<snip>
If you know other languages then use them, but for an RPG shop with
employees that
know their data already, and know their users, and know their RPGIV,
learning event-driven logic is a no-brainer.
</snip>

I am not sure where you are going with this one, because if event driven is
a no-brainer then learn VB or VB.net. Then you gain the obvious advantages
of going with a better language.  But if your RPG programmers do not have
the ambition to learn a different language then I see your point.

>They can find VB programmers of course but the diaper costs can become
prohibitive.

You would be surprised what a kid out of college can pull off, given the
chance and the tools.  Don't look at how much somebody knows when you hire
them, look at how much they can learn in a given time frame.

>These shops can have a few inquiry applications up and running quicker than
they can find and hire a qualified Java programmer.

The problem with this is that you are going to be hard pressed to find
_anyone_ well versed in the Java technologies.  That is not because Java is
near impossible to learn, but because it is growing so fast the adoption can
seem daunting.  What I have found, though, is that it is growing at a very
nice rate.  Business is changing and we need toolsets to change just as fast
so we don't have to write everything from scratch.  The thing with Java is
that you only need to use the functionality of the language as it becomes
know to you.  I have yet to use Interfaces in Java because I don't have a
real good grasp of them, but I use a lot of other nice features like
extending, creating my own data types, overriding, etc. . .

>Remember, we are dealing in a reality where MIS is measured by the speed
and up-time of e-mail, not ROI.
This is either the opinion of some narrow minded people or your company has
some serious problems with their view of IT.  Somebody in your department
needs to start pounding their hand on the table a little harder to let upper
management know that IT has a place in your business.

Aaron Bartell

-----Original Message-----
From: Booth Martin [mailto:Booth@MartinVT.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 9:43 AM
To: rpg400-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: Is RPG available on any other platform ?



 Aaron we've moved very far off topic.  The original issue is "Is RPG
available on any other platform?"  My answer is "Yes, use VARPG on Windows."
 That statement still holds.  If your language is RPG then VARPG is a choice
that is available to you.

Discussion of other languages, etc, is for another place and time.  If you
know other languages then use them, but for an RPG shop with employees that
know their data already, and know their users, and know their RPGIV,
learning event-driven logic is a no-brainer.

These shops have the ability to use their team skills and put out plenty of
slick and fast Windows programs that their users will love.  These shops can
have a few inquiry applications up and running quicker than they can find
and hire a qualified Java programmer.  They can find VB programmers of
course but the diaper costs can become prohibitive.

Remember, we are dealing in a reality where MIS is measured by the speed and
up-time of e-mail, not ROI.

---------------------------------------------------------
Booth Martin   http://www.MartinVT.com
Booth@MartinVT.com
---------------------------------------------------------

-------Original Message-------

From: rpg400-l@midrange.com
Date: Thursday, January 02, 2003 09:38:48 AM
To: 'rpg400-l@midrange.com'
Subject: RE: Is RPG available on any other platform ?

>...The learning curve for new employees on many green screen applications
is
>just too frustrating today.

This is also the reason I have heard in my company. . .

Aaron

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