Re: Ruby On Rails on the iSeries

["albartell" <albartell@xxxxxxxxx>]

> We seem to be entering the next phase of browser user interfaces, which are
based on AJAX.  If the new UI paradigm doesn't precisely fit with the 3GL
language de jour, you're basically stuck.

That's why being able to go back to raw CGI just needs to be able to happen
sometimes.  An example of failure in this area is when I was trying to do
some off the beaten path UI stuff in JSF (Java Server Faces).  I needed to
make use of some JSP tags that weren't yet in JSF and found myself having
both of the languages conflicting with eachother (they run under two
different engines within the servlet container as I understand it, which
means they aren't executed in the same pass).

Anyways, my biggest concern with Rails is if it ponies up when I need to
write a more complex application.  I would rather not have to do trial and
error to find that out because right now I am "framework fried" after trying
both JSF and Tapestry and finding they both caused just as many headaches as
the time I was expecting to save.

If anybody has the time to evaluate Rails to see if it is up to par when the
enterprise needs roll in, that would make a good piece on imho.midrange.com
- of course you would have to put opinions in it to make it fit and not just
facts ;-)

Aaron Bartell  
http://mowyourlawn.com

-----Original Message-----
From: web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Nathan Andelin
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 7:12 PM
To: Web Enabling the AS400 / iSeries
Subject: Re: [WEB400] Ruby On Rails on the iSeries

One of the scariest things about being an IBM business partner is pioneering
an idea that IBM at some point espouses itself, and muscles the business
partner out of the picture.  Companies like Lansa and BCD software may have
pioneered the idea of using a 4GL platform neutral language to generate
platform specific code, but when their products reach a certain level of
success, IBM releases something to compete against it.  EGL seems to be that
way.
 
It looks like Rails is quite different than EGL.  Rather than using platform
generic 4GL code to generate platform specific 3GL code, Rails uses
predefined scripts and templates to initially generate code specific to the
deployment platform, using just a few basic parameters such as template name
and table name, then leaves it up to the developer to complete and extend it
using the language and editors applicable to that platform.  The term "code
initialization" might be better suited than "code generation".
 
Applying the idea to an ILE environment, it seems like you might be able to
use CL scripts to generate HTML and RPG source files based on a few basic
parameters like program name and database table name.
 
EGL seems like an overly-engineered solution in comparison.  If there's a
learning curve for the platform neutral language, and a lot of options
pertaining to various deployment languages and platforms, it's going to be
complex for many shops to work with.  That's a pity.   The whole idea is to
make development easier.
 
Compound that with the fact that user interface paradigms tend to shift.  We
seem to be entering the next phase of browser user interfaces, which are
based on AJAX.  If the new UI paradigm doesn't precisely fit with the 3GL
language de jour, you're basically stuck.
 
 
Nathan Andelin



----- Original Message ----
From: Brian <iserieslists@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Web Enabling the AS400 / iSeries <web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 12:36:59 PM
Subject: Re: [WEB400] Ruby On Rails on the iSeries


Natthan, et al

Have you looked at IBM's EGL that is included in the WDSCi product? I have
only began working through the EGL tutorial but since you mentioned WebSmart
I thought this might be an alternative. As it is, EGL will generate Java or
Cobol code to implement the full application but what got me interested is
that it appears you can use EGL for developing the view and the controller
and hook it to RPG on the backend via the JT400 toolbox for implementing the
model. IBM held an EGL user's conference recently that had a session on EGL
and RPG but I wasn't able to attend and have not been able to find the
handouts from the session.

If anyone has worked with EGL and has opinions as to its viability for
developing web apps on the iSeries I would like to hear them.

Kind regards,

Brian
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