Re: Developing a web application with JSF/J2EE: where do I start? -- WEB400

If your programming language is RPG or Cobol then I can recommend IceBreak
(www.icebreak.org).

The learning curve is not steep and the product has a number of tutorials
and worked exercises. It also contains many built in features including
session handling, SQL, etc. These built in feature can save you a lot of
work because you do not need to spend a lot of time building control code to
handle the basis of a project (eg. session handling, user log/on off, etc).

Using the native RPG/Cobol/C++ compilers means that you use native DB
access. No need for Java and JDBC. If you want to use SQL then IceBreak has
built in functions, so you don't need IBM's SQL product (5722-ST1 on V5) to
compile SQL programs.

Performance is excellent. It works well on the smallest of iSeries systems
(same performance impact as 5250 displays or less).

Anything you can do in RPG you can do with IceBreak. You have access to all
the system APIs, IFS, built in C functions, etc. I have found no
restrictions.

If you have the source to your programs, your business logic can remain
unchanged. Use the existing code. No need to rewrite into Java or any other
language.

All you need to learn to move to web browser interfaces is a little
IceBreak, some HTML, and preferably a little JavaScript to handle some user
interface functions.

If you are familiar with JavaScript and JSON/XML then IceBreak comes
complete with a copy of extjs (see www.extjs.com) to allow you provide your
users with a rich, functional, Ajax based application.

Support from the IceBreak team in Denmark is also very good.

The productivity, and time savings and significantly reduced learning curves
(if you don't know Java, JSP, etc, etc) make this undoubtedly the fastest
most cost effective way to create web browser applications.

I have used this product for a number of years now, and never had any
problems. As you can see, I am very pleased with product and have no
difficulties recommending it. Personally, I wouldn't use anything else. The
WebSphere/Java approach is too big, bulky and expensive for the small
business market place. My clients don't have the size of budgets that can
support WebSphere/Java development nor the size of iSeries system required
to run such a resource intensive application.

I did start a WebSphere based Job Costing application for one of my clients
but gave up when it became apparent that the client did not want to pay for
a 2 year project. With IceBreak the project was completed in 2 Months!!

Hope this helps

Syd Nicholson

-----Original Message-----
From: web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:web400-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Ewout N Boter
Sent: 03 March 2009 13:13
To: web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [WEB400] Developing a webapplication with JSF/J2EE: where do I
start?

We are investigating some possibilities to jump on the web-application
bandwagon. Our resources are limited, and we have decided to explore two
alternatives: Groovy on Grails on one hand, and a combination of JSF, J2EE
and IceFaces on the other hand. (If anyone can convince us that one of
these alternatives is by far better than the other, we might consider to
drop one alternative immediately!). I will start exploring the latter
alternative, and a colleague will follow the Groovy-trail.

Now, an obvious question is: where do I start? In my opinion, it's very
important to make sure that we can connect to the DB2/400 database on our
iSeries. Most of the tutorials and books on JSF seem to focus on other
types of databases, but we are exclusively dealing with the iSeries. So, I
think my first goal should be to make sure that I can access the tables in
our database in an easy, secure, and well-performing way.

For your information: we are already using RAD (f.k.a. WDSCi). However, it
would not be a problem if we would have to use a separate install of
Eclipse.

I hope someone can give me some good suggestions for examining
iSeries-oriented tutorials, books, etcetera. Other suggestions (for
example for choosing the right set of tools and technologies) will also be
greatly appreciated!

Ewout