[WEB400] Re: Re: Web-Facing and 5250 removal

["Buck Calabro" <buck.calabro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> I would simply add that Jwalk has the ability
> to combine multiple panels of the RPG app
> into a single panel on the web UI.  Can
> be nice for ERP or other apps that are a little
> cumbersome in the presentation/data entry
> department.

Pretty much every modern webifyer can do that.  It's a bit of work
with IBM WebFacing (manual process) but certainly possible.

I'd like to add just a little bit about screen scrapers.  The first
generation of scrapers were very simplistic and basically only
converted from 5250 to GUI and back.  They worked, but had many
quirks.  The current generation is much more sophisticated than that.
You'll find very few vendors who won't wince at the 'screen scraper'
moniker.  I don't think the industry has come up with a good
replacement for 'dynamic 5250 datastream conversion' yet.  The point
is that when you call, ask them what differentiates their product from
a first generation screen scraper.

No matter what product you choose, be sure to have the vendor convert
a typical subset of your code base and take a good look at it.  Have
the end-user who normally works with those programs sit down and
hammer away at it.

In my opinion you really need to understand your motivation for trying
to webify in the first place.  Determine the ultimate goal (broader
audience, Windows integration, etc.) and see which product addresses
it the best.  When I say 'the best,' I mean to say that whatever is
best for YOUR organisation.  Because what is great for me may be
horrible for you...
  --buck