I heard that.  Have RPG programmers here who learned JAVA and got to "hone" 
their skills on a tight project.  Add in the reliability/response issues with 
websphere and RAD and you've got yourself a missed deadline.  But hey, that's 
what the I.T. world likes now...bureuacracy, bozos and bullsheez.

Like I've heard it said here before...

If you were using RPG you'd be done by now.  Or something like that.

The biggest problem I've found with "learning new stuff" is that if you don't 
use the new stuff, it quickly becomes forgotten stuff.  Without a project to 
put the new stuff into practice the skills never get honed.

The other corporate issue these days - along with the no money for training - 
is the project needs to be finished faster than is humanly possible.  While I 
can hack out RPG code at a great rate of knots, churning out code that I'm 
still learning about will make a project way over time.

are you accepting a programmer from Dominican Republic. If so, please, write 
me back in here alanfernandezabud@hotmail.com or just give me a call at 829-
343-1686.

Regards.

Alan.

Last 3 places i was at were like that..... I thought it was the coolest thing 
to turn a subroutine into a Boolean test:
If CustomerIsNotValid(CustNo);
   Write some error;
Else;
   "ANd awaaaaayyyyy we go";
EndIf;

Trynig to get other people the comprehend is normally the difficulty.... you 
can't take them out of their "comfy chair" and ask them to sit somewhere 
new... It's just not heard of...

I spoke with someone here last week about starting to use Procedures() & 
*SrvPgms... and was told they are not allowed because they corrupt the db.... 
I was like "WHAT !?!?!?!"... found out someone was here, built some 
procedures()... evidentially didn't know how to write RPG code, so instead of 
saying she didn't test her code, she blamed the issue on Procedures()... no 
one knew anything about them, so they couldn't question her... they just said 
no more... until I got here... (of course)... I'm just gonna write the code, 
and when they want to understand it, cause they have to modify it, I will 
expand them then.

Re: programmers, in talking to candidates, at least half are or have been 
working in shops that do not allow the use of procedures, service programs, 
etc.

Captndjc,

Yes, the contact we've had with them has been very good - I met Richard at 
Bob's RPG World last year.  I'll look into the 2-day class you refer to.  
System i Network, in cooperation with CNX, is also doing a 1-day class which 
was supposed to be today but has been postponed to late in July.

And yes, they said they were working on a screen design tool to make the 
screen design easier.

Viking, 

Richard and Rob are great to work with. I know that they are rapidly developing 
their Valence product. We started with version 1.0 and they have come a long 
way since then. The thing that is missing but I think they are working on is 
some type of "screen design aid". Are you going to take their two day training 
session? Their videos do help.

Here is a hint for the new stuff - pick something, some task that needs doing you want to see done, and 
then just do it. Don't worry that your solution may not be as sweet as some kid straight out of college, 
because you have a ton of knowledge he doesn't, and it will show through in your end solution. 

Don't be afraid to try! That's the whole secret. :) 

-Paul

It's never too late to learn new stuff!  I'll be learning the javascript stuff 
too... have only worked a little with it so far.

Have received quite a few resumes so far but the door is still open.

I'm afraid I am ruined for anything new as I've been modifying/enhancing in 
the JDE world on the green screen for years now, with no training in the new 
stuff since ahhhhh . . . I can't even remember O...o  
/boggle

You getting any hits on this?

Javascript is not too hard to learn (unless you have to deal with the javascript
prototype chain, then it's a bit more complicated).

http://w3schools.com/js/default.asp 

Chris

Yup, thought about it and looked at it as well as some other options and 
decided that CNX Valence will give us the functionality we want for the front-
end.

So, our new programmer will have the challenge/opportunity to learn javascript 
too.

Yo Eric the Red,
Have ya thought about CGIDEV.... I think it's still Freeware.
We basically partioned our 400, and built an intrAnet that they loved. So the 
ol'timers still had their Cmd keys, and the new "kids" had the GUI

For the most part, our users like the AS/400.  In a system we'll be starting 
to write soon, we'll be utilizing CNX Valence for the front-end, and that 
should provide them with great UI functionality while keeping our stable back-
end.

The challenges we have are probably otherwise the same that most shops have - 
successfully implementing new initiatives, keeping the users happy by meeting 
their requirements, and providing a stable IT environment and connectivity.

One challenge is convincing the users that the AS/400 and RPG are not antiquated
technologies. Are you up to it? :o)

What are the challenges i will get work wise?

No, but we've got a great coastline and sunshine almost all the time!  :-)

I love SD. You got big bucks? :)

We have an opening for an RPG programmer - anyone interested?  We're in San 
Diego north county.

Email me at viking at nethere dot com