RE: Multi- Occurrence Data Structure

Fine, SQL isn't the best example in the world, but let's look at the brave "new" world of Java cycles,
... uh ... I mean frameworks. You ever try writing some hibernate or spring code without
understanding how they work? How about struts or rails or grails? The new programmers are seeing the
value in a framework doing most of the grunt work while you only have to configure the environment or
write a few lines of code to customize the process. Isn't that what the cycle was for anyway, or when
learning Java you would prefer to write everything in plain old Java objects and spurn the work others
have done to make your life easier. Ok, so you have to know a couple of things before you get
started, but it isn't that hard to learn, and the time it saves you in development is far and away
worth the extra effort up front.

It's all about using the right tool for the job, and knowing enough about the tools you have available
to you so that you don't have to use a hammer for everything.

-----Original Message-----
From: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Ryan
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2007 11:33 AM
To: RPG programming on the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: Multi- Occurrence Data Structure

Good point...the same number of people that know wtf a spokeshave is
know the RPG cycle.

On Dec 17, 2007 12:30 PM, James Lampert <jamesl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Yet we have no problem accepting the implicit "Cycle" that's a
fundamental aspect of SQL set-at-time processing. We _expect_ developers
to understand it. I'm not clear on when/why one language is acceptable
for "Cycle" encouragement and another must be considered to be
'obscuring' or confusing.

Well said!

And to the individual who pointed out that RPG originated as a language
for non-programmers, very true: by all accounts, the peculiar syntax was
designed to be intuitive to the mailroom kid who'd taught himself how to
set up a plugboard-programmable unit record machine.

If Grandpa's spokeshave is sitting at the bottom of your toolbox, don't
throw it out. Hang onto it, and learn what it's good for. It may be old,
but you never know when it might come in handy. And new spokeshaves
probably aren't cheap.

--
James H. H. Lampert
Touchtone Corporation


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