RE: RPG enhancements (was RE: free-format move *USA date value to 6-digit numeric in YMDformat)

"kick in the b****"

back? 
buttocks?
behind?
brain?

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: RPG enhancements (was RE: free-format move *USA date value
> to 6-digit numeric in YMDformat)
> From: RPower@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Thu, December 29, 2005 9:32 am
> To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> While I agree that RPG IV is much better for coding than RPG III was, I 
> have to agree with Bob on this point.  From the standpoint of a developer 
> within an organization (I used to be with that sold software) that 
> produces software for the iSeries (or I5 or whatever they decide to call 
> it today)  the changes to the language in between patch fixes is 
> untolerable.  Regardless that V5RM3 can do some new fancy stuff, the fact 
> is, unless all your clients are up to par (laughable at best) you can't 
> use the new features anyway.  So what's the point?  Or you make the 
> mistake of using a new feature, only to have some client call at 2 AM in 
> the morning, completely pissed off because their nightly update just 
> failed because of some new fancy piece of code you decided to throw into 
> one of the programs figuring that everyone would be able to use it, cause 
> in order for your client to be using your version 6.0 software, they have 
> to be on a minimum of V5RM0, but the code you just used was introduced in 
> V5RM2.  Been there, got the stupid hat for it, not to mention the kick in 
> the b**** for doing it.  If you are going to enhance a coding language, do 
> it on a base release.  Not point releases.  That's just plain dumb.  It 
> would be like adding features to a car halfway thru the year.  Example, GM 
> decides that halfway thru a model year they are going to change engines 
> (and they have done this especially when phasing out engines in the 
> cavaliers a few years back).  Now you have the nightmare of calling up for 
> parts, making sure you got the right one cause you tell them you have a 
> 2005 Cavalier with a 4 cylinder.  Problem is you've got the 2.4 litre, and 
> they think you have the ecotech 2.2.  You strip it down to replace the 
> part, but guess what.  You got the wrong one.  Dumb dumb dumb.  I was a 
> mechanic in a past life, sorry for the vent lol.
> 
> Ron Power
> Programmer
> Information Services
> City Of St. John's, NL
> P.O. Box 908
> St. John's, NL
> A1C 5M2
> 709-576-8132
> rpower@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://www.stjohns.ca/
> ___________________________________________________________________________
> Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm. - 
> Sir Winston Churchill
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Robert Cozzi <cozzi@xxxxxxxxx> 
> Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> 2005/12/29 10:50 AM
> 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: RPG enhancements (was RE: free-format move *USA date value to 6-digit 
> numeric in YMDformat)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> James,
> Did you read my post? I don't understand how anyone would be able to come 
> up
> with your conclusions from my comments.
> 
> -Bob
> 
> 
> On 12/28/05 5:07 PM, "James Rich" <james@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, 28 Dec 2005, Bob Cozzi wrote:
> > 
> >> If all this java, java, java,  write-once run anywhere crap is true 
> (which I
> >> do not believe in by the way) then why not make the compiler an 
> independent
> >> thing that could be ported to say OS/400 V5R1 or Linux or FreeBSD or 
> AIX?
> >> 
> >> The bottom line is we used RPG III for years and years ( a decade? ) 
> before
> >> any enhancements were introduced except for ANDxx and ORxx. Oh and I 
> think
> >> they stuck an ENDIF in there too. So why do we need enhancements on 
> each and
> >> every release? Is this a U.S. Government "use it or loose it" 
> mentality?
> >> In my view, IBM is making RPG IV harder and harder to learn use, and in
> >> which to develop products. This can only add up to only one outcome...
> > 
> > It seems that you would rather return to "the good old days" of RPG III.
> > Is this true?  In my opinion, RPG III is a *horrible* language.  It
> > doesn't matter that many long lasting programs have been written with 
> it,
> > RPG III is still a horrible language.  The miniscule feature set and
> > rotten syntax of RPG III limited what could be done with it and forced
> > awful coding practices on developers.
> > 
> > I think the statement the RPG IV is harder to develop products with is
> > absolutely ridiculous unless the application consists of nothing more 
> than
> > reading a primary file and writing a report.  In fact, many applications
> > are *impossible* to create with RPG III.  I'm not talking about fancy
> > graphics that are simply wasteful, I'm talking about real, useful
> > applications that people need to get stuff done.  Applications that save
> > money, time, and effort - not just in their development but also in 
> their
> > use.
> > 
> > I certainly hope there aren't any more decades where the only 
> enhancements
> > to the primary language used on the iSeries is "ANDxx ORxx ENDIF".  Good
> > grief, those aren't enhancements, those are required syntax for sensible
> > coding.
> > 
> > James Rich
> > 
> > It's not the software that's free; it's you.
> > - billyskank on Groklaw
> 
> 
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