RE: New RPG programmers

["Greg Garner" <ggarner_gds@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You are right, Ron.  When I initially asked the question I wanted to know if
young blood is being put into the stream.  The question actually is about
more than just RPG (or Cobol).  It also goes to the passing on the companies
business rules.  Rules which are "documented" in the programming languages
source...

Gregory A. Garner
Garner Data Systems, Inc.
4270 Grand Teton Parkway
Suwanee, GA 30024
Phone: 770 845 9636
Fax:   770 614 3496



-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of RPower@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, November 09, 2004 8:19 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: New RPG programmers


I don't think the thread initially was meant to say that the current
programmers are not learning new stuff.  I think it was meant to state
that while the current RPG programmers are graying (ie, getting older,
which we all are, regardless of how long we been coding) there are not
many "new" programmers starting in RPG, and if they are, where are they
coming from?  Basically, the current RPG programmers get better and better
but with no one to hand the reins down to when it's time to retire, who
takes over?  I think that is where the statement was supposed to be
heading.  I don't think anyone meant that the older programmers were
slacking off.  They are the ones who came up with all the new stuff
essentially in one way or the other.

Ron Power
Programmer
Information Services
City Of St. John's, NL
P.O. Box 908
St. John's, NL
A1C 5M2
Tel: 709-576-8132
Email: rpower@xxxxxxxxxx
Website: http://www.stjohns.ca/
___________________________________________________________________________
Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm. -
Sir Winston Churchill




"Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
08/11/2004 09:27 PM
Please respond to
RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>


To
"'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'" <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
cc

Subject
RE: New RPG programmers






Just wanted to take a swing at this common fallacy.

This is a pretty age-ist statement.  While there are indeed older
programmers who are relaxing in the twilight of their career, that
description by no means fits all your elders.  It's really a matter of
what kind of person you are.  For example, I've been programming almost
as long as you've been alive, Duane, and I have no intention of slowing
down.  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) for fear of being lynched by zealous
coworkers.  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.

Me, I am always willing to learn a new language.  I've lost count of how
many languages I've written, much less how many I've programmed in, and
I'm still learning.  Right now my learning language is Python, although
I have precious little free time.

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.  So instead, it will mean that my RPG abilities
(especially when coupled with my Java, HTML and JavaScript capabilities;
not to mention the fact that I can design a database) will make me one
valuable commodity.

Anyway, not picking on you personally, Duane.  You're not the first
person who has suggested that older programmers are "coasting".  Me, I
think older programmers tend to have a wealth of common sense that is
sorely lacking in some of the newer fads.  In fact, I prefer working
with someone who as at least once in their lifetime actually written in
assembly language and/or written software that worked at the chip level.


Joe


> From: Duane Kehoe
>
> Further, most people who are in the later 1/3 to 1/4 of their
> career simply want to get through so to speak.  They have already
fought
> their battles and waged their wars why should they risk it now?  Do a
> good job, stay under the radar, do not rock the boat, and retire.

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