RE: Why keep "old" code (Was RPG III)

<snip>
What I have been trying to sell is the updating of our system
(unsupported vendor package) so that instead of providing FTP services
to other groups we can provide hooks (web services, stored procedures,
etc.) to any outside group.  In other words, leverage the proven
business logic developed over the last ten years instead of starting
from scratch with each new system.  In order to take advantage of the
advances in RPG over that time that will allow us to modularize and
modernize the application we have to move from RPGIII to RPG ILE.  It
doesn't matter if it's fixed format or free form, although I much prefer
the readability of free form, it's the functionality that matters.
</snip>

This is pretty much the same path I've taken with the web stuff that
I've done. It's pretty easy to wrap ugly RPGIII code (as long as it
doesn't have a bunch of display file related stuff in it) with a stored
procedure or web service front end and deliver something with a high
"ooo-aahhh" factor. It amazed everyone here at how quickly I was able to
come up with web services for credit card authorization, tax
calculation, and address editing. I spent more time learning how to
develop and deploy a web service under WebSphere than I did on the back
end stuff. RPG absolutely rocks for developing business logic.

Matt