Re: /FREE RPG compiler errors

Hi Dan,

Watch it with the dander stuff, I'm allergic to it!  :) 

Seriously, I'm sorry that you're feeling riled.

I hope you don't really think I was arguing that you should uproot so
that you can write programs with free-format RPG. The example was taking
a concept to a logical end to demonstrate that each of us is ultimately
responsible for our own career growth and shouldn't rely solely on
employers to make it happen for us.

If you recall, I said that I wasn't saying it would be easy, but it is
always an option. Whether it's an attractive option depends on many
circumstances. We all make choices throughout our lives. Those choices
aren't all easy ones.

I completely relate to the lack of desire to move the kids around. My
strong desire to not do that influences my decisions heavily. But, I
realize that's out of choice - MY choice.

I also realize that I am very fortunate that so far I've not been
cornered into a situation that led to my choice to uproot since the kids
started school. 

Also, don't forget that I sympathized with folks who found themselves in
a position where the employer did little to nothing to help further the
careers of staff members. And I sympathize with those who find
themselves in a position where their choice to move for employment is
one which weighs heavy on them. In 1989, I moved away from my "home
area" where all my family was within reasonable distance, all my friends
were there, as were my favorite hangouts and restaurants and what have
you for employment reasons. It's not what I would have liked best,
but...

I'm sorry you feel that I sit on a high perch, enjoying my perfect view
of the world. I look forward to that day, but for now, it's simply not
true that I'm out of touch with what it's really like "down in the
trenches". And as far as taking my pickings from the dreamwork tree -
I'd bet a pretty penny that I have worked through far more and far
bigger trials and tribulations than most, maybe even you - are you game?
As for the iSeriesNetwork credentials remark - I neither use nor need
them to persuade my clients of anything. I use sound reason for that
purpose.

Regarding your accusation of smugness on my part because of "such is
life" - I'm sorry you mistake the ability to recognize that we have
choice, we do things out of choice, and that sometimes that choice
really sucks with smugness.

Gary


Dan wrote:
> 
> 
> So, you think we should uproot for the sake of being able to code in /free?
> 
> "Honey, let's sell our nice home and move out of our nice neighborhood, and 
>yank our 13-, 11-, and
> 7- year old children out of schools they like and from friends they enjoy, 
>and take the chance and
> move to somewhere where we've never lived before, to work for a company I've 
>never heard of
> before, JUST so I can code in /free, OK?  Cuz, see, I hate RPG-III."
> 
> Yeah, that's the ticket.
> 
> I have done the uprooting stuff, Gary, just in the past year.  Only it wasn't 
>so I could work in
> /free or RPG-IV.  It was so I could just work, PERIOD.  I could go on and on 
>for quite awhile, but
> frankly, I just wanted to let you know that while I agree that it's up to 
>each of us to keep
> current and make ourselves valuable to employers (and I do, to the best of my 
>ability, while at
> the same time remembering my priorities as a father and a husband), sometimes 
>you and a few others
> on this list seem to sit on a high perch, enjoying your perfect view of the 
>world, without a clue
> as to what it's really like "down in the trenches".  Congratulations to you 
>if you've been able to
> take your pickings from the dreamwork tree or maybe be able to use your 
>iSeriesNetwork credentials
> to persuade your clients to use all the new-fangled stuff, but, please 
>refrain from your clueless
> comments about some of us who have struggled throughout our career, trying to 
>do the right things,
> to learn new skills and *retain* them, and trying to just put some frickin 
>food on the table.  As
> I've read your comments for about the 10th time now, it just strikes me that 
>you are so frickin
> smug.  "hey such is life."  Sheesh.  How about, "life sucks and then you die"?
> 
> Not usually this bitter, but you pushed the right buttons.