RE: free-format move *USA date value to 6-digit numeric in YMDformat

Why is it good for IBM, the platform or the client?
I hear that but I never have heard a justification for that view--other than
IBM says this so it must be true.

-Bob Cozzi
www.RPGxTools.com
RPG xTools - Enjoy programming again.

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Fisher, Don
Sent: Wednesday, December 28, 2005 1:10 PM
To: 'RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries'
Subject: RE: free-format move *USA date value to 6-digit numeric in
YMDformat

But what is the goal here?  IBM wants its customers to stay on current
releases on OS/400, right?  That's good for the platform and good for IBM.
The vast majority of those customers use some variant of RPG, right?
Perhaps the thinking is that enhancements to RPG at each release will
encourage the customers to upgrade releases regularly?

Donald R. Fisher, III
Project Manager
Roomstore Furniture Company
(804) 784-7600 extension 2124
DFisher@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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Backwards maintainability is exactly the thing that we're trying to
advocate. If Scott says use %int(%char(datefld:*ISO0)) but if you're on V5R3
then do it this way... That's just bull$hi% not backwards compatibility.
In my view, RPG IV should NEVER be enhanced except on a VxR1 boundary.This
means that enhancements can come out whenever they want, every year for that
matter, but they have to work on VxR1 and later, never "only" on VxR2 or
VxR3 and later. 
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