Re: The responsive web site debate -- WEB400

Hi Mark

I'm not sure where my thought here will take us - you mention that we diminish the i community if we kick out these discussions.

Another side might be that having such discussions in the non-i groups gives visibility and credibility to IBM i in places other than our admittedly somewhat narrow community groups.

Cheers
Vern

On 7/13/2015 6:21 AM, Mark Murphy/STAR BASE Consulting Inc. wrote:

Seems to me that if IBM i is being used to serve these applications, this is the correct place to discuss them. While the technologies are essentially platform agnostic, particularly the part that is running on the client, there are pieces of the server side that are largely specific to IBM i, for example DB2 for i. Besides, if we kick out these discussions we are intentionally diminishing the IBM i community. If we really want IBM i to be viewed as a modern server, which it is, we need to be discussing modern technologies in these lists. IBM i does have a modern UI, it runs in a browser, and we are discussing it here. So what if the technology is platform agnostic.

Mark Murphy
STAR BASE Consulting, Inc.
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

-----Kelly Cookson <KCookson@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: -----
To: "Web Enabling the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries)" <web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Kelly Cookson <KCookson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 07/12/2015 11:57AM
Subject: Re: [WEB400] The responsive web site debate

It seems to me if we're going to build web sites and hybrid apps that use DB2 data and/or programs on an IBM i, we need to know our options for developing the front ends of those sites and apps. HTML, CSS and JavaScript have become de facto web standards for the front end. Responsive web sites and single page apps (not the same thing) are two options we have for the front ends or web sites and hybrid apps that are different than traditional web pages for desktop browsers.

When we use PHP on the IBM i to develop a responsive web site, are questions having to do with the responsive front end of that web site questions for WEB400? When we use Java or the Integrated Web Services to create a RESTful services that pulls DB2 data into a single page app, are questions about the single page app on the front end suitable for WEB400? What about when we try to create a hybrid mobile app using HTML, CSS, JavaScript or Cordova? None of these are IBM technologies. But the IBM Mobile First\Worklight initiative has made Cordova a central tool for developing mobile apps. Are questions about the HTML, CSS or JavaScript code inside a Cordova hybrid app proper for WEB400?

I really like the Midrange.com lists, and I'm happy to play by the rules.

So here's my question:

Is WEB400 an appropriate forum for discussing the front ends of all the web sites and mobile apps we are building?

Or is WEB400 only appropriate for the back ends of those web and mobile technologies (web servers, server-side scripts, CGI programs, web services, RESTful services, etc.) when those back ends are running on an IBM i?

Thanks,
Kelly

-----Original Message-----
From: WEB400 [mailto:web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Henrik Rützou
Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2015 5:29 AM
To: Web Enabling the IBM i (AS/400 and iSeries)
Subject: Re: [WEB400] The responsive web site debate

Kevin

You are quite right, WEB400 or any other IBM i specific forum/groups isn’t the right place to discuss either SPA or web client frameworks. This will tend to be discussions between very few people where any web client framework has their own specific forums/groups that seldom are server centric or specific.

I use EXT JS and am a member of a cross server platform group specific to EXT JS and HTML5. Most of the members is PHP or .NET guy’s but we are also
4 IBM i ISV’s that participates and we meet much more regular that any IBM i user group.

There are clear advantages to participate in other groups, they are Front End related, they are able to attract experts on the technology and frameworks they cover and they widens ones network of people with a common technical preference outside the IBM i frame.

In regards to their main forums there is however a drawback. There are many people in them (up to 500.000) so the coziness and the personal relations we experience in IBM i forums are gone and it is very hard to get answers on ‘newbie’ questions or personal guidance to specific problems.

-snip