RE: Using OO concepts in RPG

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Booth Martin
>
> You totally miss the point Joe. Totally.  I already know most of
> this stuff.
>  It isn't RPG.  It isn't part of the language.  You can't print from it.
> All you can do is make a page somewhere and then use the browser or some
> non-IBM commercial product to create  a printer-friendly file,
> then print it as another step.

Booth, I disagree with you.  The new world is not about creating report
programs.  It's about generating data which is then transformed as necessary
to the user interface required.  It's clear that you really didn't
understand FOP.  FOP is a great concept, and it's not commercial.  FOP is
completely free, open source, and you can do with it whatever you want.  It
can all run entirely on the iSeries, or on a PC.

But that's my opinion.  Generating data and letting another program format
it is what I call "separation of duty", and it allows me to create some
pretty cool systems.  For example, with this technique, the same program
logic can be used to generate HTML pages, green screen displays and PDF
files.  This is the kind of reuse that will really make our machine sing.

And if members of the community could get together and create a few of those
middleware pieces and open source them, it would be even cooler.  Anyway,
it's become plain that you're going to argue with me no matter what I say,
so I'm going to drop the thread, and also avoid any further dialog with you.

Thanks for your input.

Joe