Re: GWT

[David Gibbs <david@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Booth Martin wrote:
> RPG, Report Program Generator, is a code generator.  

> From that perspective ... the only way to NOT use a code generator is to hand code objects at the binary level.

RPG is not a code generator because it does not generate an intermediate level code that is generally human readable (well, 'cept for some folks in Rochester).  It generates W-Code (or whatever it's called) that gets translated into MI.

If RPG generated C, which was then compiled into W code, and translated into MI ... then it would be a code generator.

> I've used, and liked, Pro-Gen.  That was a code generator.  It required 
> an attitude of going along to get along.  Tweaking generated code was 
> possible, even easy and well documented.  However I never found an 
> instance where Pro-Gen wouldn't do what I wanted done.  Tweaking it was 
> a waste of client money. 

Yeah, the problem is ... what happens when you go to a shop that doesn't use progen?  Do you still know how to code a subfile program?

> GWT is still not totally baked, but it does allow me to produce usable 
> stuff, and is web-based,, which is where I want to go, anyway.

My point about GWT is ... it applies a Java paradigm to javascript development.  This, by itself, is not bad.  But if you want to LEARN Java, you shouldn't START with GWT ... you should start with Java and learn the basics.  Once you know the basics, then start playing with GWT to apply the knowledge to the new paradigm.

david