Re: is edi translator software difficult to write? was: edi vendor complaining

jde iSeries wrote:

Steve Richter,
Why write your own EDI X12 translator? My gentle recommendation is that you
and your organization should focus on being the best widget builder that you
can be (or whatever it is that you sell to your customers), not get
side-tracked.

It's easy any of us to put our programmer hat on and say I can write that, not considering whether it's the right thing to do.

These are build vs buy decisions. It may be more practical to write something if a simple solution can do the job. Writing a full blown translator is not likely to make sense. If Inovis charges too much than look at something else.

I'd also add that many things like EDI don't need to running on the "i" at all. We have 5 EDI communications servers (FTP,AS2) in our DMZ (1 is an iSeries). We also have translators on both windows and iSeries. There's no real advantage for us in using an "i" for EDI. Small "i" shops may want the simplicity of less servers. IMHO, the "i" is better used for running your business's database applications.


Keith