RE: FW: IBM's RPG Strategy (was: Long Procedure Names) -- RPG400-L

To make C++ a viable language on the 400, you need to add much better DSPF
DDS support, better database I/O support.  Then you need people who can use
it (i.e., skilled staff). Then you need an IDE like Visual Studio (I like
version 6.0) to make developing easier. 
Why DDS support? Because without being able to brainlessly create or rewrite
traditional green screen apps with C++ the marketplace will reject it out of
hand. That's all.
I like C++ but it is a very long learning curve for people... but it will
allow C++ programmers to enter the 400 market and keep the platform viable
into the future.  Java won't do that. Java is needed on the 400, but Java
will almost never sell more AS/400's to the world. It will only permit
people to build code on the 400 that they then can move onto a $500 PC and
remove the 400. Java is a fun tool and very useful, but IBM should have shot
the person responsible for saying "Java, java, java".

-Bob Cozzi
www.RPGxTools.com
If everything is under control, you are going too slow.
- Mario Andretti


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Steve Richter
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 11:15 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: FW: IBM's RPG Strategy (was: Long Procedure Names)

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 11:32:14 -0500, Jon Paris <Jon.Paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> 
> 
> >> Follow the lead of Microsoft and develop a CLI specification that
> enables modules written in C++, RPG and Java to be used interchangeably.
> 
> Steve,
> 
> It already exists - it's called Java byte code - it's where Microsoft
stole
> the idea for CLI.  Of course one could also say that Sun stole the idea
from
> the S/38, AS/400, iSeries.

call it what you want, MS extended the idea so that languages with
completely different memory models like C++ and Java could be used
interchangeably. What MS did to make C++ an equal language in .NET was
nothing short of outstanding.  The equivalent in ILE would be an RPG
procedure instantiating a C++ or Java class and then calling member
functions of that class.

> To comment more specifically on your ideas, while I agree with some of
them,
> the list needs to have some semblance of reality.  Changing the compiler
> architects/management would not produce the results you desire.  If
anything
> it would probably guarantee that the future held no enhancements at all.
> The folks in charge right now are pretty much career RPG people - most
other
> people in the labs go "RPG what?"

good!  those are the people we need.   Leave the language as it is and
start with the RPG you would see in an rpg procedure.  I dont use F
specs anymore, I use the recio function calls instead. So there are
plenty of features that can be left behind.  Call it what you want,
but os400 needs a general purpose, modern programming language.    (
actually I vote for IBM to assign one person with some smarts and
getup and go to complete the implementation of the C++ compiler on the
system.  I just want everyone else to have a good language to work
with also <g> )

-Steve
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