Re: When an AS/400 is called an iSeries

[Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxx>]

> From Lucas B.
> Java is a different animal - Java is going Open Source and available on
> almost every halfway sane platform.

Okay.  I think I get your point that open source prevents vendor lock-in, which 
I agree with.  But vendor A may code in Java, and never release the source, 
while Vendor B may code in RPG and release the source.

Open source is not an attribute of a language, unless of course you go with a 
scripting language like PHP, or JavaScript, which are interpreted at runtime, 
and unless I'm mistaken don't run in binary or encrypted format.

> From Lucas B.
> RPG is vendor lock-in at it's finest. RPG has it's very own world, that is > 
> completely different from all mainstream languages. 

I have to disagree.  I know several cases where vendors will offer a paid-up 
license to source code they've written in RPG.

> From Lucas B.
> How many students do you know that know RPG? What's the average
> age of an RPG programmer? How many people do you know that never > had to 
> work with a System i, but are now learning RPG?

Despite a number of formal educational initiatives, it seems to me that most 
people learn RPG through self study and practice.  To me the services offered 
by the native runtime environment carry more weight then any of the languages 
supported therein, but RPG just happens to be the most prevalent of the ILE 
languages, and the one IBM has been modernizing the most.

> I know several Unix/C programmers that have switched to using
> .NET/C# - but I've never seen somebody switch to RPG/System i.
> I would be interested in samples/experiences from others on this list.
> Do you know people that switched e.G. from .NET/C# or Java to RPG?

Yes, one of my colleagues switched from Unix-C to ILE-RPG.  I formerly to 
developed under Microsoft's frameworks (predating .Net), then switched to 
ILE-RPG.


With Regards,

Nathan M. Andelin