Re: Is RPG dying

And back to collections, Java lets you create a dynamically typed list that contains any type. I understand that Java has generics, but if you are going to make an argument based on what a language "lets" you do, Java has the same problem. It is up to the developer to code in a best practices sort of way.

Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: -----
To: RPG programming on the IBM i / System i <rpg400-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Joe Pluta
Sent by: rpg400-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: 03/16/2012 04:51PM
Subject: Re: Is RPG dying

Re-read what I wrote.  I said you can write bad code in any language.  I
said that dynamically typed languages make it easier to write bad code.  
And that's because IMO dynamic typing allows people to write code with
less (or no!) up-front design and then "refactor" it, because you don't
have to worry about types.

Joe

... the result is you end up with unmaintainable systems.

Only if you hire unskilled or sloppy programmers. You can write bad code in any language.  You can write unmaintainable code in any language.  Even Java.  Ever saw the code behind Java MoveX?  It looks like a bunch of RPG programmers wrote it.  Not a hit against you Joe, but what I mean is that they converted it from RPG 3, and kept the style intact as a matter of choice.  Pretty scary actually.

Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx