Re: Ruby On Rails on the iSeries

One of the scariest things about being an IBM business partner is pioneering an 
idea that IBM at some point espouses itself, and muscles the business partner 
out of the picture.  Companies like Lansa and BCD software may have pioneered 
the idea of using a 4GL platform neutral language to generate platform specific 
code, but when their products reach a certain level of success, IBM releases 
something to compete against it.  EGL seems to be that way.
 
It looks like Rails is quite different than EGL.  Rather than using platform 
generic 4GL code to generate platform specific 3GL code, Rails uses predefined 
scripts and templates to initially generate code specific to the deployment 
platform, using just a few basic parameters such as template name and table 
name, then leaves it up to the developer to complete and extend it using the 
language and editors applicable to that platform.  The term "code 
initialization" might be better suited than "code generation".
 
Applying the idea to an ILE environment, it seems like you might be able to use 
CL scripts to generate HTML and RPG source files based on a few basic 
parameters like program name and database table name.
 
EGL seems like an overly-engineered solution in comparison.  If there's a 
learning curve for the platform neutral language, and a lot of options 
pertaining to various deployment languages and platforms, it's going to be 
complex for many shops to work with.  That's a pity.   The whole idea is to 
make development easier.
 
Compound that with the fact that user interface paradigms tend to shift.  We 
seem to be entering the next phase of browser user interfaces, which are based 
on AJAX.  If the new UI paradigm doesn't precisely fit with the 3GL language de 
jour, you're basically stuck.
 
 
Nathan Andelin



----- Original Message ----
From: Brian <iserieslists@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Web Enabling the AS400 / iSeries <web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 12:36:59 PM
Subject: Re: [WEB400] Ruby On Rails on the iSeries


Natthan, et al

Have you looked at IBM's EGL that is included in the WDSCi product? I have
only began working through the EGL tutorial but since you mentioned WebSmart
I thought this might be an alternative. As it is, EGL will generate Java or
Cobol code to implement the full application but what got me interested is
that it appears you can use EGL for developing the view and the
controller and hook it to RPG on the backend via the JT400 toolbox for
implementing the model. IBM held an EGL user's conference recently that had
a session on EGL and RPG but I wasn't able to attend and have not been able
to find the handouts from the session.

If anyone has worked with EGL and has opinions as to its viability for
developing web apps on the iSeries I would like to hear them.

Kind regards,

Brian