Re: Beyond RPG CGI

Mike,

The tools you use to develop web applications are based on
many factors.  One of them is in-shop experience.

Learning Java and using Websphere/Java effectively is an
option.  But, keep in mind that there is quite a learning
curve for both Java and Websphere.  If you're up to the
challenge and have the time and "gumption" to learn both of
these things, then there is no reason to not explore that
route.

System resources are also a factor.  If your budget doesn't
allow you to purchase a machine that can handle JAva and
websphere as effectivley as something as small as a 170 can
handle RPG, then it's time to re-think.

I believe that you shouldn't limit your applications to just
one method.  Especially if one method will provide
measurable benifits over the other.  So, you may find that
using both Websphere and RPG CGI would be the route to go.
Even a splash of Net.Data here and there may be a good idea.

But, if your shop isn't dedicated to learning Java and OO
programming techniques, you will probably end up with more
maintenance that if you stuck with RPG.  Java spaghetti is
just as or more ugly than RPG spaghetti.  :)

Remember, for web applications you are generating the same
results no matter what method you use.  Both Java and RPG
give you the abilities to do this, but they also have
benifits that can help the rest of your "non-web"
applications.

Java has OO, which if done correctly can be also used to
redo all of your applications.  RPG has ILE, which also can
do the same.  They're just two different approaches.

RPG is far from dead.  It seems that IT management today
likes to be using the latest techology.  While this isn't
wrong, it can be wrong if used only for "bragging rights".

The road to Java is a long and complicated one to RPG only
programmers.  It has great benifits, but as I mentioned, if
done wrong then there won't be many benifits over using any
other tool.  Anyone can create a hello world java app, but
you must realize that is about a million miles from the end
result you will be looking for.

Java is great (if done correctly), but RPG isn't dead by a
long shot.  Bottom line, you shouldn't limit yourself to any
one technology.

Here's a question for you.  How far into ILE have you
ventured?  Using ILE effectively is also a road less
traveled, but can produce many benificial results.  It will
also get you that much closer to understanding some of the
programming techniques used with Java.

Brad
www.bvstools.com

On Fri, 29 Mar 2002 09:44:58 -0500
 Mike Skvarenina <mskvarenina@usa.net> wrote:
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> I hope this isn't a mistake to ask this (fearing many
> different answers and opinions) but here it goes:
>
> My shop has been doing RPG CGI development for about a
> year now.  We started off with Brad Stone's book to get
> our feet wet then discovered CGIDEV2 which made the
> development process very simple.  Management however,
> although very impressed with our browser interfaces (they
> hated the green screen dubbing it "old technology"),
> still believes RPG is dead and is insistant we move away
> from RPG in general...even if it can 'work the web'.
>
> So my question is, what is your shop doing beyond RPG
> CGI?  One area I am seriously considering is firing up
> our WebSphere server and learning to use it and Java.  If
> this is the right direction, what's the best way for a
> staff of RPG programmers to get started?
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Bradley V. Stone
BVS.Tools
www.bvstools.com