Re: Web Interfacing Advantages? -- RPG400-L

Brian,

If your shop runs windows on the desktop then my short answer is you
want to front end your as400 applications using .NET.  Specifically,
asp.net.

Your first decision is probably whether you use the IBM Java approach
or Microsoft .NET.  What with IBM deciding to focus the iSeries on
Linux/Java, if your company is going to be running Microsoft server
and desktop applications, I dont think it makes sense to use Java. 
Better to go with the front end to your iSeries that will integrate
best with the remainder/ majority? of the applications at your
location.

The reason for asp.net instead of desktop .NET applications is two
fold.  First of all, you can code quicker in asp.net compared to
winforms.  Second, asp.net applications are access thru the browser,
which provides pretty much universal access to your applications.

I can tell you more about this if you want.  For example, you want to
be at v5r2 or higher and use the client access .net managed provider.

good luck!

-Steve

On 6/2/05, Brian Piotrowski <bpiotrowski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> 
> 
> Our operations have been using the old "green screen" applications since
> we received our AS/400.  That being said, the programs work fine (albeit
> clumsy as everything must be typed in as opposed to a "point and click"
> interface), but the users are looking for more GUI, as a lot of our
> other applications use a web interface.
> 
> 
> 
> With all of the new and wonderful technologies that IBM has been
> releasing with the latest iteration of the O/S, I am looking to the
> future and move most (if not all) of our interactive applications to a
> web interface.  However, I have been meeting a lot of resistance from
> the "old school" senior AS/400 programmers/users here who do not see a
> need to move any of the apps.  They claim that web interfaces are "too
> confusing" and the users would not understand them (even though 95%+ of
> our users are very familiar with Windows interfaces).
> 
> 
> 
> The main reason why I would like to move to a web environment is the
> simple fact that I am programming twice - once in the web interface, and
> AGAIN for those users who use only green screen.
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone provide me any information as to the advantages of moving to
> web GUIs in lieu of green screens?  From what I understand, moving the
> applications to web interfaces will reduce the amount of interactive
> traffic on the AS/400 - is that true?
> 
> 
> 
> Any information that anyone could provide would be most helpful, as I
> have been tasked by the managers to provide appropriate reasoning to
> making the move to a GUI.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!
> 
> 
> 
> Brian.
> 
> 
> 
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> 
> Brian Piotrowski
> 
> Specialist - I.T.
> 
> Simcoe Parts Service, Inc.
> 
> Ph: 705-435-7814 x343
> 
> Fx: 705-435-6746
> 
> bpiotrowski@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> 
> 
> 
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