Re: Usage of WDSc

Just for clarity (and the archives).

No way is CODE going away--at least not in version 7.  It still ships and 
works the same.  Of course the complaint is that it's not updated for 
syntax changes.  Can anyone tell me of a recent syntax change in DSPF or 
PRTF DDS?

Give it time.  Let's see if the screen designer moves to the standard 
edition in the future.  (Make some noise about it at COMMON and wherever 
else you can.)  Let's see if a print designer is made available as well. 
Then if IBM fully drops CODE Designer and doesn't have something for us 
masses, I guarantee I'll join you in the screaming.  Maybe we could all 
get some coaching from Al Barsa and really get heard at COMMON or wherever 
else we can make our voices heard.  But while I still have a workable 
tool, I can still be productive.

Yes, I know RLU saved the proper parameters for compiling a PRTF in the 
source member, but get real.  Our sys admin can't fire up RLU every time 
we need to move a printer file to production.  We came up with a 
workaround years ago.  (i.e., Retrieving the proper compile parameters 
from the source member.  We didn't use the RLU supplied ones--rather we 
made our own *PARMS line and use it for development and production 
compiles.  It's a lot like the Make utility that's been described several 
times on this list.)  It didn't take much to make it functional in the 
workbench.  IBM hasn't taken anything away from me yet.  I'd like to 
believe that's not a very big 'yet'--time will tell.

As far as the retirement countdown, I've heard a lot about that.  But the 
only poll I've seen had the *vast* majority of people at least 15 maybe 20 
years off from retirement.  Even if the poll wasn't very scientific, it 
still makes a valid point.  There's plenty of seasoned talent out there.

Also, I wouldn't call any of the WDSC development team that I've met, 
seen, or heard speak too young.  (Team I'm not saying that you're old 
either--just not 'wet behind the ears'.)  They all work hard to produce a 
great tool.  Is it perfect? No.  But it's a good tool and so far, it keeps 
getting better.  If you can build a better tool, please do.  And if you 
make a good living doing it, I'm happy for you.  I love what WDSC has 
allowed me to do and I've loved all the enhancements thus far.

My two-cents worth.



date: Tue, 20 Mar 2007 09:14:32 -0400
from: "Bill Barnes" <bbarnes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
subject: [WDSCI-L] Usage of WDSc



Bob,

I agree that the tool lacks general use.

Here at PLI, I'm the only developer who uses it full time, and only 2 of

the 15 other developers use it marginally.

The rest are stuck in PDM/SEU world, and don't see the point in
switching 
over.

This has the disadvantage for me that, if I ask for a more recent pc, 
management says that a 6-year old pc is just fine for PDM/SEU
development.

Peter Colpaert
Application Developer
PLI - IT - Kontich, Belgium
-----
Yoda of Borg are we.  Futile is resistance, assimilated will you be.
-----




Peter,
First, very lovely country you live in. I was there in 2005 and loved
it!
Second, I think that WDSC suffers from non-use by the community at
large. 
I'm
speculating that the vast majority of requests are coming from either 
non-RPG
development efforts or highly specialized projects, like commercial 
training.
If the tool becomes accessible and viable to the majority of RPG 
developers out
there, I think more and more requests for the stuff that applies to
their 
world
will be requested and thus more users will move to it.

For example, adding something to WDSC that exclusively or primarily
helps 
out
Java development probably adds 2 or 3 new users (I'm being generous) and
satisfies a handful of existing users. Adding something to WDSC that RPG
developers want/need could add dozens if not hundreds of new users as
well 
as
satisfy the silent few who already use the product.

-Bob Cozzi
www.i5PodCast.com
Ask your manager to watch i5 TV


Bob, Peter;
Second, it is a very lovely country, although I was there in 1963 in
October and it was COLD.

I almost laughed out load at the comment "everyone is using this".  I am
1 of 4 and the only one using it.  Over 75% of the emails I get I file
"for future reference" because they don't pertain to what I am doing. 

We are a multi-platform shop and we in the IBM realm are Legacy.  No new
development on the i5, no modernization on the i5 period.  We do green
screen, reports etc.  The old fashioned RPG stuff.  RSE is a good editor
and has some very nice features.  It also lacks in many ways especially
when it comes to green screens and reports.  I have tried CODE and could
not get a print file to compile they way I wanted it to.  At least RLU
saves the compile parameters and when you choose to compile you know
exactly where it went.  Of course since CODE is no longer going to be
part of WDSc for the red headed step-children, that is a moot point.

RSE is longwinded in installation and upgrades and comes up quirky more
often than not.  Upgrades are an exercise in pain and patience (min 4
hours on a T1).  Features are hidden beneath windows in obscure paths.
Settings go away because of an unfortunate key stroke (???) made, and
then take hours or days to undo.

I think part of the problem is that this was designed by young
intelligent windows programmers with almost no input from the dinosaur
world.  Even IBM is treating us as LEGACY and therefore we have nothing
intelligent to offer.

The retirement countdown has commenced.  I will be interested to see
what happens when us dinosaurs all retire and these young intelligent
windows programmers try to re-write all those millions of lines of RPG
code into VB, JAVA, C++ and any other "new and improved" language that
comes along.  I expect a phone call.