RE: Future of RPG was: Open Access for RPG

Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:35:29 -0700
Subject: Re: Future of RPG was: Open Access for RPG
From: alfromme@xxxxxxxxx
To: rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx

It goes back to the fact that RPG isn't a sexy name and younger people
confuse ti with role playing games. We need a new name that reflects
what RPG is today. Perhaps IBOL (Iseries business oriented language)
pronounced 'eyeball'.

Albert


On Tue, Jul 27, 2010 at 3:33 PM, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Pete Helgren wrote:

There are really two issues at the heart of this:

1. Can we do anything to get the over 50 (40?) crowd to embrace the
more modern development techniques that RPG (and IBM i) has made available?
2. Can we do anything to compel the under 30 crowd to give RPG (and
IBM i) a try a see what a superior business language it is?

#1 - I think that is a losing battle. So many folks have checked out in
the i/RPG world.

#2 - Great potential. Trevor pushing to get the YiPs going in Common
and the "pick up and run" attitude of guys like Justen and Brian that
are working closely with IBM (Steve Will) to establish the
YoungiProfessionals.com site and push for more "young" folks to get
involved in the "i" world, all of this has borne some fruit.

I'd love to hear if there are any community things that can be done to
promote the issue raised by #2. Common gave birth to the YiPs and they
are moving forward on their own with the support of IBM and Common.
What else can be done?

Nice analysis. The real problem is that IBM isn't promoting RPG.
That's the root. The secondary effect of a lack of jobs leads to the
tertiary effects of no curriculum and no internships and thus no reason
for college kids to invest time. The lack of an open source alternative
tunes out those who like and might be tempted to give it a try.

The best option is still to promote RPG as a database accelerator
language and make it a standard option on high-powered IBM"business
logic servers" that speak to the outside world using web services and
ODBC. You provide simple tools to allow the development of business
rules in DB2 and then use RPG as the nitro under the hood when you need
real performance.

They were this/close with the blade, but as usual since the i is not a
services revenue-generator, there's no good reason to push it. Silly,
really, because if IBM created a demand for RPG they'd own the
consulting and education market.

Joe

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