Glad to have you back for this week's IBM i news roundup! This week we are looking at the sanity of Node.js 8.0 and the growing lack of IT education. But First...
The Guru is back! Ted Holt has another addition of Guru 400! This week Ted talks about Common Table Expressions Can Replace Query Chains. Enjoy!
Source: https://www.itjungle.com/2017/06/05/guru-common-table-expressions-can-replace-query-chains/
Node.js 8 Brings Sanity to Native Module Dependencies
by Paul Krill
Last week was the release of Node.js 8 which gave impressive upgrades and improvements for run time, buffer security, URL parsing, and preserving dependencies on native modules across major Node.js upgrades. With the release of 8.0, Node introduced Node.js API (or N-API). This feature was created to eliminate the breakage of dependencies on native modules that happen between release lines.
"Although native modules are a small portion of the modular ecosystem, 30 percent of all JavaScript modules rely indirectly on native modules, which are written in C or C++ and are bound to the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine." One of the biggest problems is that every time Node.js decides to release a major update, every package maintainer has to update their dependencies.
Other highlights of 8.0 include:
- V8 5.8 JavaScript run time, improving performance and offering developer-facing APIs.
- The zero-filling buffer and a new buffer are added by default.
- WHATWG URL parser moves from an experimental stage to being fully supported.
- Newly released NPM 5 client.
Node7 gets replaced by Node 8 in October and will become the Long Term Support release at that time. With 8.0 released, Profound.js becomes even more powerful for your IBM i system. See how Profound.js 2.0 can help modernize your applications today.
IT Skills Gap
by Jon and Susan
As technology continues to grow the need for more IT professionals also continues to grow. But according to a 2008 report from the Wisconsin Technical College System, between 2002 and 2007, enrollment in IT courses declined 43% and graduation in IT fields declined by nearly 26%. This decline in interest in the IT world can be alarming for us in the IT business currently.
Employers are complaining about a shortage of qualified workers. In the same above report, 49% of those surveyed employers say the lack of specific job skills (such as RPG or IBM i) is a major problem on their minds. On the flip side of the coin, only 29% of those same companies think lack of on-the-job training is part of the problem. Clearly there is a disconnect.
As for IBM i specifically in the IT world, there should be even more concern. Most students don't even know about IBM i, or think that it is no longer in use. When asked, students said they either had never heard of IBM, or didn't even know they were still in business. One of the biggest problems with IBM i for the younger generation is simply the name. As a young IT student looking for work if you see job postings for AS/400, iSeries, or System i you would never think of taking a class on IBM i (even though they are one in the same). That is a solution that we can all help with by referring to it as IBM i from now on.
One of the other biggest issues is the lack of education for languages like RPG. The lack of education for newer programmers puts companies in a bad situation because the older (and soon to be retired) programmers have always used RPG, but now they need programmers who don't know RPG. Profound Logic has seen the growing need to help companies attract younger programmers and with Profound.js 2.0 you can easily use our Converter to help transition your RPG code to a more well known language in JavaScript.
One solution to this growing issue can be to introduce more IT ideas, classes, and internships at the High School level to help students be more engaged in the IT world. Is there a problem? Yes. Can it be fixed? Absolutly.
Source: http://ibmsystemsmag.com/Blogs/iDevelop/June-2017/The-IT-Skills-Gap/
And Finally...
Our own Brian May had a great article for MC Press Online. He tackles some alternatives to using RDi in case you or your company aren't interested in purchasing the program. It's a great read!
Source: http://www.mcpressonline.com/programming/rpg/rational-developer-for-i-alternatives
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!
