<snip>
But that's not the point IMO - it's
that others, especially new people, won't know it. Sure, they can
learn it...and they can have the opinion that RPG really is a Report
Program Generator with Specifications. Or, they can learn cycle-less,
free format, RPG/IV code, and use all the techniques that they learned
in school.
</snip>
But my point is, are you really an RPG programmer if you don't know the
cycle? The schools today should still be at least giving an overview of
how the cycle works. That's like having a mechanic not knowing how to
work on a distributor because the cars today (most) have DIS ignition
systems. If you have an antique car and are having an issue the mechanic
should still know the basics. Imagine taking your older car to a garage
and they saying to you "we're sorry but we don't work on older cars, we
never learned how they worked". That's insane. I'm not saying that you
have to use the cycle, but at least know it if you see it. What about
GOTO and CAB? They fall in the same category. I don't use them in my
programs, but I've had to deal with them in other programs that were
written before I was in highschool. And if I don't know something about
what I'm looking at, I RTFM. If they are cranking out programmers
nowadays that only know the new stuff and haven't learned the old stuff,
how can we trust them to work on older programs? So what happens to that
new programmer who goes into a shop of one, with no one to talk to or
guide them, and comes across all these outdate programs that need to be
updated. Does he/she just stare blankly at the screen for hours... And
I'm not saying it's the new persons fault. It's like you said, the
schools aren't teaching it. Not cool in my book.
Ron Power
Programmer
Information Services
City Of St. John's, NL
P.O. Box 908
St. John's, NL
A1C 5M2
709-576-8132
rpower@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.stjohns.ca/
midrange.com
