Re: Ideas for which GUI or UI, PHP or What.. (Was: IBM i in the cloud (was social media))

PHP is a great language, but you don't *have* to learn PHP to be able to produce a modern browser based UI for the IBMi. You can do it with RPGLE or COBOL, which may be an easier alternative than getting everyone to retrain in a new language. You will, however, have to acquire HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills. Libraries like jQuery (my favourite) or ExtJS can help simplify the creation of a rich UI. It is the client-side stuff that is important really, not the language you use on the server to deliver the content. So if you are an RPGLE or COBOL shop, why not just stick with RPGLE or COBOL ? After all, you'll have enough on your plate learning JavaScript etc.

Dare I mention the fact that there are open source frameworks out there already to help you get started on the IBMi. Frameworks are not everyones cup of tea, but if they are free, where is the harm in taking a look? You might get some things you like.

On 20 Nov 2010, at 00:33, "Alan" <steelville@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Kelly Cookson I get my AARP card this coming February.

American Association of RPG Programmers?-Nathan

AARP? No, Association of Awesome RPG Programmers... I'm going with AMAC,
or Generation America, or the United Seniors Association. I'm learning
PHP, plan to go the whole gamut... Learning helps keep your mind sharp..
Now if I can just pull away from the screen and take more walks..

My shop has 70 percent old style Cobol (new style means being able to
use CALL PROCEDURE haha). Two or three of the ones with the best
business knowledge (from seniority) will be kind of ambivalent to
learning new stuff. My sort-of-coach in the business end (reviews code
for gotchas in the code base) said most of the guys didn't know what
%parm was. I had to take it out. I adopt to shop standards so I took it
out, although I think they can learn in one minute what it means if they
came across it.

The company was considering alternatives to the present green-screen
old-code based application they have for our part of company support.
One was to change what we have, another was a 3rd party application that
used JWalk. But then came a change in CIOs and other things and that was
the end of that 3rd party.

It's all on hold though, and I think they'll come back at some point. I
would like ammunition or comments one way or the other, in case they ask
this sort-of new guy (veteran RPGLE programmer..)

Another team at the company has used JWalk to front-end, but it causes
everybody to moan and groan and there was a bit of gnashing of teeth
when we thought we might move in that direction...

Comments?

--Alan


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