Re: RPG IV release levels and complexity

["Buck" <buck.calabro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> But the standard question, is how many people
> are buying new packages for their iSeries when
> their version of release is two versions back?

The standard question tends to ignore the fact that it is much easier for a
data centre to put a 4,000 dollar a month software maintenance budget item
in than it is to put the price for a new package plus installation plus
training plus conversion...  Having said that, the standard reply is 'not
many.'  But they ARE paying us support and maintenance fees for their
existing software.  And when Federal regulations mean a change in the code
base, we have to make those changes in such a way that our customers on
older (and still supported) OS releases can use the 'new' code.  So we code
for the least common denominator, and warn customers in advance that when
their OS release becomes unsupported, they will pay a LOT of money for us to
support their now custom code base.

Whilst the pace of change has certainly quickened, the vast majority of RPG
programmers work on a single iSeries, at a single OS release, and don't have
a problem trying to keep things straight.  The biggest issue for them is not
being able to use code they find online and in articles and books.  Which
really becomes an issue for those of us posting that code.  I suggest
putting the version the code was tested against in the comments at the top
of the code.

Would I like to be able to send my object code back to an earlier release
level (without needing TGTRLS())?  You bet!  That would be the best!  But I
think I understand the situation.  Because RPG uses lots of system hooks,
going back a version of OS400 is more like trying to move a Win32 program
back to Win16 or even back to DOS.  The OS400 changes are apparently that
significant, despite the VRMxvz numbering scheme.  So for now, it will
remain least common denominator for me.
  --buck