RE: Chalk one up for "The Cycle"

No you're not the only one. But if major changes are required to the
antiquated code...i will rewrite it (especially if it's s/36 code!!!)
...for simple changes...i'll just modify the existing code and let it
ride. But if I'm writing new code, there no way in Hades to get me to
write using the cycle (unless it's the stuff I mentioned earlier quick &
very dirty...)


Thanks,
Tommy Holden


-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Raby, Steve
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:57 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: RE: Chalk one up for "The Cycle"

<snip>
It's not complexity, it's hiding what the program is doing. I (and a
bunch of us) have written RPG for years and years, and I know the
cycle cold. I taught the cycle for years. And any graybeard RPG
programmer should know the cycle. But that's not the point IMO - it's
that others, especially new people, won't know it. Sure, they can
learn it...and they can have the opinion that RPG really is a Report
Program Generator with Specifications. Or, they can learn cycle-less,
free format, RPG/IV code, and use all the techniques that they learned
in school. I would rather have RPG be a mainstream language rather
than a specification language. I don't think the cycle makes a program
more efficient; it just removes lines of programming code that a lot
of people would expect.
<snip>

Am I the only person in the world maintaining older code?? Do the 'new'
programmers look at a program and decide, "can't be bothered fixing it I
will just write a new one"

What if the cycle is THERE? What do you do? If the shop you work in
hasn't the time or the money to constantly write new programs, just
ignore it and hope it will fix itself?

And as for missing the 'P' well, sorry, if the program is reading a file
and there is no READ/CHAIN whatever, then chances are.......

Just the opinion of a poor old contractor who has to fix the stuff that
the new breed of programmers don't want to touch.

Steve