Modernization

Hi Bill,

Yes, IBM wants the System i community to embrace modernization.  This
has been a problem for IBM since the S36 refused to die...  The
perception of the System i as antiquated or "behind the times" gets back
to the software that is available for the platform.  IBM needs modern
software for the platform to entice new customers, and modern software
is not easy to develop with stone-age tools like SEU, SDA, RLU, and so
forth.

You are correct that Java is not an ideal language for business
application programming.  However, it is extremely robust for
middleware, which is used to EXTEND the platform, allowing our HLL
applications to be delivered to new interfaces.  The new mantra in IT is
all about enhancing reusability of business logic through modular
deployment architectures like web services or SOA.  Old ideas, new
techniques and tooling.  Java brings the rich environment needed to glue
the new parts to the old.  What Java lacks in performance and/or
resource handling is far exceeded but the richness and extensibility of
the environment.  

Ok, so we have architectures that allow us to write our business logic
in RPG for use ANYWHERE we want.  Need that product costing routine on
that web based order entry?  No problem, just run the web services
wizard to create the interface.  Invoke it from the web app, and your
done...  What about consuming a web service from your RPG app (Sales tax
service, credit card billing, address verification)?  Again, you have
wizards to build an interface that can be called from your HLL
application to access a service.  Can you do this in SEU?  Probably...
Is it productive?  Probably not....

JMO,
Eric

Eric;
I appreciate your feedback.  The problem IMHO is that IBM waited too
long to address the movement towards GUI.  When they did, they came up
with WEBSPHERE, a behemoth needing bigger iron, much bigger iron and a
learning curve from hell to implement.  This shop is moving, as fast as
it can, away from IBM and the AS400, iSeries, i5.  It is a shame because
there are solutions to the "interface" problem.  The best of these come
from outside IBM which also presented a problem.  The question is, "If
this can be done why can't we get that type of a solution from IBM?"  

RSE does frustrate me because it is a 14 ton earthmover and all I want
to do is dig small holes?  The deal with the screen design and the print
file designer kind of says it all.  Fortunately, for me, I am close to
retiring and will be gone before they try and re-write our flagship
application in .NET.

Bill