Re: New RPG programmers

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 18:57:28 -0600, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On the other hand, I've met plenty of young folks who "stay under
> the radar", unwilling to say anything against the latest stupid trend
> (like EJB, or extreme programming) 

I know of (and agree with) your issues concerning EJB, but what's your
beef with extreme programming?  It's not the panacea that some make it
out to be (then again, what is?), but it works in certain situations.

> I've met PLENTY of youngsters who have a "comfort zone",
> usually with one of the newest technologies.  These are the ones that
> can't be bothered to learn RPG because it's not sexy enough.

We've found that not giving them any other options gets them to change
their tune.  They all drink the RPG kool-aid sooner or later.  Even I
did ;-)

> I'm not worried about it, though.  If the coming generations don't learn
> RPG, that doesn't mean RPG will go away.  Be serious.  There are
> BILLIONS of lines of RPG out there that aren't going to be rewritten or
> replaced any time soon.  

No, but it could mean (given a change in your IT shop's management)
that RPG is no longer allowed to be used for new development because
it is viewed as being deficient in some way or another.  That your
tried and true RPG apps that are tuned to your business processes are
going to be targeted for replacement by crap that the VB kids are
writing or some one-size-fits-all package written in .NET with a SQL
Server backend because your old VP of IT (who began his career as the
only IT employee when you bought your first S36) retired and was
replaced by some knothead with an MBA who thinks 5250 is DOS.

The reality of the situation (that I can do anything on the back-end
in RPG that someone else can do in Java/C++/etc at least as well if
not better) is meaningless.  If people in your shop aren't pushing the
envelope with what RPG can do, the stereotype is perpetuated.

It has nothing to do with age.  It has everything to do with attitude.

Mike E.