RPG Training

Hi

Tom -
Embedded SQL is the best thing IBM put into RPG in the past 15 years.  I find it so much easier to use than OPNQRYF.  I agree with Rob that the apostrophes were a nightmare.

You are so correct about the DOS comment.  Just last week, a new employee commented that he didn't like the DOS based accounting system.  I've tired of defending the AS400 to users, because I think they're right.  The 5250 interface is outdated.

Thank goodness for Giovanni B. Perotti and Easy/400.  He seems to be the only IBM'er really trying to maintain the ??? (what do we call it today?)  and he had to retire to do it!

I don't wish to go back to the good ol' days.  I just keep wondering that if 1 man can that much, what could IBM have done if it really wanted to?

Nathan
Seems that we mostly agree about IBM's determination to take our jobs.  More profit for them when they convince my boss that to get a modern look, he must buy one of their services.  The message they are trying to sell is, "Don't even try to develop in-house or with a small business partner."

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And that's why I originally commented about Rob's statement concerning the Application Development by
Example" manual. .  I just don't believe IBM is a friend to the on-staff programmer anymore.  So I don't think we'll ever see a manual like that again.

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Why did the subject change to the "lazy, /dumb or inept programmer"  I used that line to highlight how complicated our jobs have become.  By the time you've mastered SQL, learned some java, fought with HTML and output with CGI, none of us are lazy.  But I do wish I had put more in the 401(K).