Re: WDSC 4.0 bundling (Especially for IBM and third party software)

Good information and points Mark.  Thanks.
I should probably clarify a bit though.  I do not use RSEor CPO because I
use TurnOver.  I tried RSE and CPO (Yep, RSE is better than CPO) but
TurnOver handles projects better than any software or plugin yet for our
environment.  You can see the TurnOver Change Management software at
www.softlanding.com.  No, I'm not a spokesman, I just really like the
product.  Maybe RSE as a PDM alternative but until WSSDA speeds up, it is
PDM and TurnOver.  My thought on RSE is to actually WebFace PDM as another
perspective since I think that is JavaScript but that is just my opinion.
PDM and TurnOver are already plugged into CODE anyway.  I might use RSE
just to get the help search.  Anyone know why help can't be made available
online or on a server?  I have REXX macros in CODE I would want in the LPEX
editor.  Anyone know of macros, examples of macros, or a help tutorial on
writing (or converting to) LPEX macros?  I don't write Java regularly.
That is fine if they want to integrate the Designer and Debugger to the
Eclipse framework, I just still want to make sure those "plugins" and the
others in PDM and TurnOver will still go somewhere like they do today.  I
think I heard TurnOver was excited about WDSC so that is good to hear.
Excuse my bluntness, but what is wrong with CODE?  Am I missing something?
What is the big push to rewrite everything from scratch when CODE is
already stable, many years old, and is way ahead of that LPEX editor?  Why
can't we improve what we already have instead of reinventing the wheel?  It
seems like as soon as everything is in Java and is finally stable,
everything will be rewritten again to whatever the current language and
technology is.  I think it is good to keep up with technology but I want to
make sure the options will still be open for using stable products like
CODE.  For example, being able to use old and stable PDM instead of RSE I
know is a given.  Personally, I think formal training in WDSC would be an
overall waste of time right now.  Is there going to be an LPEX Designer and
how much different is that supposed to be than CODE?  We and maybe others
should be using TurnOver for projects anyway.  CODE hasn't changed much and
the LPEX editor seems to need so much work to be considered fit for
productive and stable programming that it seems ludicrous to learn and use
something that is below CODE and will change anyway.  Of course, I know
CODE better though.  Maybe WebFacing training for people who would do
WebFacing or Java development would be worth it.  I am not even going to
get into how training rooms would either require you bring your own PC or
upgrade some or all PC's for the WDSC install.  I am all for new technology
and features but I want to make sure we still have the choice to use the
old stable software.  Then we get back to installing WDSC as a bundle by
default but giving another option to customize the installation for people
who know what they want.  I expect to always have the option of running
good old stable CODE until LPEX surpasses CODE in a couple years.  Then
CODE will probably be like SEU to some?  I guess it is better to voice my
opinion now than when it is too late but I mean no offense to the WDSC.  I
am all for new technology but I want to make sure I still have the freedom
to choose.

Thanks,
Craig Strong

** Mark wrote:
Craig,

My guess on the way it is currently bundled has to do with most of us
wouldn't have known what to install to get the features we need so they
just made it install everything.  I think this is something that will get
worked out over time.  For example, they could at least make installing VA
RPG a separate option since it is clearly a standalone item.

I wouldn't give up on WDSc just yet.  I personally find RSE more
productive than the old CPO, and it has some nice integrated options such
as browsing record formats or displaying object descriptions.  It lauches
the Code editor pretty smoothly so you are not sacrificing a lot for using
it.

In general, I would say that the memory and CPU requirements for WDSc are
unlikely to make any huge leaps in the near future.  The big caveat there,
however, is that is also depends on the projects you are working on.  If
you have a 1,000+ file JSP/Java project you need more horsepower because
of all of the "features" it provides when you are changing a file.  If you
are just using RSE and working with iSeries objects the it shouldn't
matter how many objects you are dealing with since the IDE becomes more of
a "Client/Server" application and less is done on your PC.  As Buck
pointed out, if you get into big WebFacing projects, your requirements go
up quickly.

LPEX is the name of the editor component in Code/400.  That core editor
was rewritten in Java and made an Eclipse plugin called the LPEX editor.
>From an editor standpoint, the two therefore are very similar, although I
believe none of the REXX macros in Code/400 can be used in the Eclipse
version.  What the Eclipse version lacks is some of the extra things that
were added to the editor in Code/400 like the program verifier.  These
will hopefully be ported to plugins soon and you will not need to launch
the external Code/400 editor any more unless you rely on any REXX macros
that cannot be ported to Eclipse.

As I have already hinted, RSE is meant to replace CPO, which just leaves
the screen/report design component and I guess the debugger as things that
need to be ported to the Eclipse framework.  I hope these items get
ported, but I would rather see some editor enhancements first such as more
wizards and smart guides and refactoring would be great.

Hope this helps.

Mark