Re: RE: WDSC 4.0 Machine Requirements

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Sam,

I didn't say that clearly enough, thanks for pointing it out.  I have used
Code/400 since the OS/2 days, so I also recognize its benefits over SEU. I
was trying to say that there is a large faction of AS/400 programmers that
really like SEU (not me) and are more comfortable using it than they are a
PC editor.  My point was that if that is the case, and you have not had
any additional programming needs added to your responsibilities, than you
should probably stay with SEU.  However, if you need to take your RPG
applications to the web, or otherwise modernize them, than you should be
looking at WDSc.

While Code/400 attempted to be a "better" PC-based version of our existing
AS/400 development tools, I do not believe that is what WDSc is trying to
be, or should be.  In my opinion, WDSc is about making it easier for
programmers to modernize their existing applications.  That is why you see
things like the wizard that lets you make a web service interface to RPG
business logic.

In the ideal world, all of the functionality that exists in Code/400 would
be ported to WDSc and it would all work together in the seamless new IDE
interface.  In the long term, I think we will see that happen.  In the
short term, there are decent tools out there that let programmers develop
5250 applications (SEU/SDA and Code/400).  WDSc is about filling the void
in the tools market for taking those applications to the web and
developing new applications for the web.  If I were the person in charge
in Toronto, and I have a limited set of resources, I would be putting
those resources into new areas like building some good RPG refactoring
tooling that helped customers modularize their business logic.  I wouldn't
put high priority on converting the screen/report design component when
the existing designer can just be launched, or the developer can use SDA.
Priority should be given to filling the gaps, not rewriting what already
exists.

A lot of people are criticizing WDSc, but I think they are overlooking
some relevant information such as that WebSphere 4.0 Server has been on
the market for a year now, and the old iSeries tooling wasn't adequate for
developing to WAS 4.  IBM had to update the Java/JSP tooling sooner rather
than later.  They could have waited to include the new iSeries-specific
pieces until it was more finished, but then some customers would have
complained about not getting a head start on what they are doing.  I think
if you recognize that they had to get WDSc into the market for those of us
that are doing WebSphere development, and that they are giving us a
preview of what will be coming for native iSeries development, than the
current version of WDSc can be looked at more favorably and we can all be
excited about what will come in the future.

Mark








"SamL" <lennon_s_j@hotmail.com>
Sent by: wdsci-l-admin@midrange.com
08/29/2002 08:37 PM
Please respond to wdsci-l


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        Subject:        Re: RE: [WDSCI-L] WDSC 4.0 Machine Requirements


----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Phippard" <MarkP@softlanding.com>
>
> On the other hand, if all you need is SEU to do your development than
you
> shouldn't be using WDSc anyway.

I don't understand this comment. Most of what I do in Code I could, and
used to, do in SEU.  But the Code editor is so much more productive.
IMHO, most SEU based developer should be using the Code editor.

Granted, I can used most of Code without delving too deeply into WDSC
and incurring the overhead of Eclipse.  But I see the original code
declining and being replaced with the Eclipse verion, and I worry about
the tendency that IBM has always had in most software it has developed:
the need for lots of hardware resources and mediocre performance.

Sam
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