Glad to have you back for this week's IBM i news roundup! This week we are looking at a cooperative game and the future of RPG. But First...

Node v8.0.0 was released this week and people are really excited about it! Check out the details below:

Source: https://nodejs.org/en/blog/release/v8.0.0/

IBM i Strategy: The Cooperative Game

by Steve Will

In this article Steve talks about a comparison between Cooperative Board Games vs. the world of the IBM i community. This newer style of gaming no longer pits players vs. players, but pits the players vs. the game. The players must work together and use their unique skills together to defeat the scenario that the game has put them in. 

This applies to the IMB i community because there are so many different important "players" in the community that all have special skills that help feed the community and make IBM i a vital and important part of thousands of business'. Whether that is IBM themselves, independent software companies, Open Source developers or anyone else who contributes to the community. 

"I can’t tell you how many times I have had someone approach me after a presentation, or at a user group meeting, and tell me how important IBM i and its predecessors have been, and still are, to their livelihood. The people who say this come from all parts of our community: users, IT workers, ISVs and Business Partners. They all depend on the continued success of IBM i. And, of course, so do I, and so do the people in IBM who work on IBM i. " - Steve Will 

The need for each individual participant within the IBM i community is vital for its continuation.

Source: http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/Blogs/You-and-i/May-2017/IBM-i-Strategy-The-Cooperative-Game/

Introducing Profound.js 2.0! Click here to
extends the full power of Node.js to your IBM i applications!

Where is RPG Going?

by David Shirey

What is the future of RPG? Where are things progressing? What needs improving? David talks about what might be coming, what improvements might be needed and focusing on where RPG is and is going. Some of the topics David hits on are:

Hardware - What type of hardware is coming that will give the i and RPG a leg up in the future?

Server vs. Thinker - What is the future of servers doing most of the thinking for your applications?

Tools - What tools can help push the future of RPG?

There is no clear answer to these and other questions that we might have about the future of RPG, but one thing is clear that we will be paying close attention to any future changes/additions that will come for IBM i and RPG. 

Source: http://www.mcpressonline.com/programming/rpg/where-is-rpg-going

And Finally...

Here is a great article on how Coders are using their skills to help save the world's fish population!

"3 billion people around the world obtain their protein primarily from seafood, while nearly 45 million rely on fishing for their livelihoods.  And yet, at the front line of both climate change and human over-exploitation, ⅔ of the world’s ocean fisheries (fishing industries) are at risk, while 85% of wild fish stocks are already over-harvested or depleted."

Source: https://impatientfoodie.com/coding-fish-conservation-fishhackathon/

One of our focuses for 2017 is the continued adoption of Node.js in IBM i shops. Click here to read our white paper on Why Node.js Is The Solution Your Company Needs.

Also, Profound.js 2.0 has been released! See how Profound.js 2.0 can help modernize your IBM i today!

And there, you're all caught up! Sounds like we have an interesting 2017!