× The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.



wdsci-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

   7. Re: WDSC Futures (AGlauser@xxxxxxxxxxxx)

Tom Liotta wrote on 28/03/2007 22:46:30:

albartell wrote:
But reading between the lines and knowing that CODE won't be supported/tested on future Windows OSes is the same as taking it away in my mind.
Just to see what we're talking about here, does anybody have a guess when a "future Windows OS" might show up?

How about now?  I don't think CoDE is supported on Vista.

Adam:

I'm not quite convinced. I won't be until I know what circumstances stop CODE from running on Vista.

If I search this page:

http://www-306.ibm.com/common/ssi/fcgi-bin/ssialias?infotype=an&subtype=ca&appname=Demonstration&htmlfid=897/ENUS207-030#@2h@62@
 or
http://tinyurl.com/2fd7eh

...for [vista], I don't find it listed. That page is "IBM WebSphere Development Studio Client V7.0 delivers enhanced modernization tools, ClearCase integration, and improved RPG support for System i -- IBM United States Software Announcement 207-030 -- February 27, 2007". Apparently, WDSC V7.0 itself wasn't even totally clear about Vista.

Not just CODE, but all of WDSC V7.0. If CODE isn't supported on Vista, well, apparently neither was any of WDSC V7.0 at time of announcement.

Okay, we all know it's ridiculous thinking there's a disconnect between Vista and WDSC; and there are enough statements from IBM that make any concern over WDSC and Vista essentially moot. Vista cannot rationally be ignored for WDSC. I'm _only_ pointing out that it's early in the Vista life-cycle and that the releases of Vista and WDSC for GA were very close; and, of course, IBM can be persuaded to bend in one direction or another. CODE works on Vista, so the practical result is that the _next_ Windows OS _might_ be a problem.

Now, the specific statements for CODE seem to be:

"This means there will be no future enhancements made to these tools, they will not be updated to work with new releases of i5/OS, and they will not be ported to run on future versions of the Windows operating system. Customers using these tools should migrate to use the equivalent function in the Remote System Explorer and iSeries Integrated Debugger."

Then the paragraph after that:

"The CODE tools will continue to be supported until Development Studio Client V7.0 reaches end of service."

That is, CODE will be supported throughout WDSC V7.0 life cycle. But (at least at this time) it won't be "ported" to any Windows OSs beyond WinXP. (I'm not certain it was ever "ported" to WinXP.) Further, if some new i5/OS release is somehow so radically different from V5R4 that CODE doesn't work with it, then CODE is (probably) dead from that point on.

So far, there doesn't seem to be a reasonably similar set of statements for VARPG. IBM's statements indicate intention to address whatever issues arise or even create/release a replacement product.

But, VARPG currently requires CODE as the editor.

The first thing that that all suggests is that VARPG editor calls will bring up a different editor. WDSC allows a choice of editor at some points, so I don't see that as impossible.

And WDSC V7.0 has the tech-preview of the beginnings of a CODE Designer replacement.

With (1) an editor change and (2) a decent WDSC "DSPF Designer", plus the general indication that current VARPG developers will have a forward path, I don't yet see a problem.

CODE _does_ run on Vista even if IBM support is up in the air. (At times, better than WDSC V7.0.) VARPG is not gone nor is there yet a statement from IBM that it won't be supported on 'future' Windows OSs. CODE will be supported through the life of WDSC V7.0.

It just seems to me that it's too early to panic. Some of the posts have given the feeling that it's time to dump the tools and possibly even dump the whole platform.

It is _NOT_ too early for everyone to yell at IBM about it.

Of course, I was using VARPG many years ago and wondered why there were so few other users. That's probably part of IBM's problem -- they have a hard time justifying continuing product life when so few use the product, or at least don't speak up about it. They've issued statements about CODE and will probably be interested in the reaction.

But as long as CODE keeps working, as long as Windows and i5/OS don't change so much that CODE _can't_ work, what's there for IBM to do with it?

I sure don't plan on stopping my use of it just because IBM has told me it won't be updated. I'm actually going to be looking forward to see what IBM is putting their effort into. And if it starts looking decent, I won't feel badly about shutting CODE down for the last time.

Maybe it'll even get better when we find out that the replacement is iCODE/5.

Tom Liotta


As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This thread ...

Follow-Ups:

Follow On AppleNews
Return to Archive home page | Return to MIDRANGE.COM home page

This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].

Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.