"Consequently, one of the frustrations in the computer industry, and
certainly in the IBM i customer community, is a lack of visibility to
other customers who are using the same technology – IBM i in this case. I
can tell you, factually, that IBM i has more customers than any other IBM
platform, that we still have easily over 100,000 enterprises of one size
or another actively using IBM i and its immediate predecessors, that we’re
still sold and have active customers in more than 115 countries in the
world. I can tell you these things, but if your company doesn’t know other
companies using IBM i, you might still feel alone." (Steve Will, Chief
Architect for IBM i,
http://ibmsystemsmag.blogs.com/you_and_i/2010/09/you-and-i-are-not-alone.html
)
I don't think IBM is going to drop the platform (and its primary language,
RPG) any time soon.
I like and program in C# and Java, for example, but people are saying
those languages are "dying" as well. MS has introduced yet another API
wrapper for Win32/64 with their new Win8 Metro interface, which is ticking
off some MS developers. How will that impact .NET and C#/Visual Basic and
associated frameworks? People are tired of Java's complexity and clamoring
for simpler alternatives, etc. I wouldn't be afraid of either of those
languages or C/C++ for that matter, if they fit the need. They will be
around if corporations have large investments in them and are effective
(which clearly they are). RPG is no different, and as others have noted,
IBM has an excellent track record of supporting their systems and
customers (probably better than any other corporation).
Blake
midrange.com
