Re: RPG - I'm not dead yet!

["Raul A. Jager W." <raul@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I remember looooong ago, I used a languaje (RPG II) with the limitations 
you mention. You should not call limitations of the actual RPG the 
limitations of 20 years ago.

john e wrote:

> Ok.....
>
> The reason why, IMHO, RPG is a "fatal" flaw is because most RPG programmers
> are "raised" with a "language" that doesn't support all kind of trivial
> things, like normal dates, like "free format", local variables, long
> variable names (we have indicators), only columnar format, only subroutines
> and no any other way of abstraction, JUST subroutines (yes thanks to OS/400
> we can call other programs as modules but again this is not a language
> feature), etc etc.
>
> This is were most RPG programmers are at.
> Only 1% use ILE RPGIV (which is feature wise comparable to C from the 60's
> but anyway a lot better than before).
> Why is it that only 1% use "modern" RPG?
>
> Because RPG exists since 1950 and only the last 10 years it evolved,
> somewhat.
> I am exagerating, but only a little bit, unfortunately.
>
> Most RPG'ers don't have any knowledge of good software development
> practices, like abstraction, etc.
> Learning a (natural) language shapes your mind.
> If you learn a language like RPGII, or III, and this is your only language
> and only knowlegde then something like "local variables" sound strange and
> not useful, only making things complicated. Try convincing somebody with
> only "classic" RPG experience the advantages of local variables. It's just
> completely alien.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 5:15 PM, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
>  
>
> > Thanks, Jerry.  That's a pretty cogent synopsis of the situation with a
> > very low geek factor.
> >
> > And yes, C was a godsend for me.  While I was learning RPG, I also
> > learned assembly language and then C, and understanding the basic C
> > syntax has served as a solid foundation for many of the other languages
> > I've learned over the years, including C++, Java and JavaScript.
> >
> > Joe
> >
> >
> >    
> >
> > > I'm not nearly as well versed in these things as you and Joe, but why
> > >      
> > would
> >    
> >
> > > one consider RPG (and here I'm assuming ILE RPG) to be an Achilles' Heel?
> > > An Achilles' Heel is a weak point (usually a fatal one).  Just because
> > >      
> > it's
> >    
> >
> > > tied so closely to the system (using, I think, the system's data
> > >      
> > management
> >    
> >
> > > routines among other things) shouldn't be cause for alarm.  As Joe and
> > >      
> > JHHL,
> >    
> >
> > > among others, have pointed out it always helps to be multilingual.  Makes
> > >      
> > me
> >    
> >
> > > wish I hadn't given up on C those many years ago.
> > >
> > > RPG is not a fatal flaw - in my opinion - as long as Toronto keeps
> > >      
> > growing
> >    
> >
> > > it.  Which they seem intent upon doing.
> > >
> > > Jerry C. Adams
> > >      
> > --
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