RE: [WEB400] Who Uses WebSphere Express?

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Colin Williams
> 
> There is some stuff that java web applications are very good for.
There is
> some stuff that RPG CGI is good for.

Personally, I think JSP Model II is superior to RPG-CGI for a number of
reasons, and unless there is an overriding business reason (cost, skill
set, whatever), JSP Model II is a better choice.

The biggest deciding factor for me is whether or not you as a company
will be using Java at some time.  It could be web services, it could be
portals, it could be XML.  If so, web enablement is the perfect place to
get your feet wet, because it require very little Java but you can
expand it as it grows.

If none of those are ever in your future plans, then fine, go RPG-CGI.

But if they are, you need to choose one of two routes: .NET or J2EE.
And if you get pulled into the .NET world, you set yourself up for a
growth path like this:

Some .NET applications are written that directly access the database.

More .NET is written, now using stored procedures.  Some of the stored
procedures are written in SQL.  The business logic starts to move from
RPG to SQL.

More and more applications are written.  At some point, the iSeries
becomes little more than an SQL server.  The only application logic
written in RPG are green screens.  Management decides to get rid of DB2
and move to SQL Server.  Bye bye iSeries.

Think that's a far-fetched scenario?  It's just a variation on what
happened at Welch's.  IBM pats themselves on the back for moving Welch's
from an iSeries/RPG box to an iSeries/Linux environment.  However, after
a while of running Linux, Welch's decides to dump DB2 for Oracle.  And
now that they've done that, there's really little reason to stay on the
iSeries.

Joe