iModernize - The Profound Logic Software Blog

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry.

Be the Change – Developing IBM i Education
by Von Enselman

• "We all read the alarming articles about companies leaving the i because they can’t find RPG programers. We all know about the misconception that this machine is old school. As I have mentioned many times I find it frustrating that those who lament the loss of the good old days are the same developers who are reluctant to advocate on behalf of the platform. All of this doesn’t change the fact we need to address skill development at all levels of our community."
• "Focusing on the students it seems reasonably simple — their end goal is employability. The IBM i is a leader in the Power System install base and is used in every industry in the world. Watson is proving the capability of the machine on the global stage and the remarkable professionals at IBM promote the vitality of the platform to anyone and everyone who will listen."

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry.

Did IBM i Just Get Hacked at DEF CON?
by Alex Woodie

• "A presentation at the recent DEF CON hacker convention in Las Vegas raised some eyebrows among the IBM i crowd. In "Hack the legacy," a European IT worker purported to demonstrate how to bypass the operating system's security and take control of the machine."
• "You'd be fooling yourself if you believed that the IBM i platform was never discussed among hackers. But rarely has the proof been so stark as what came out of DEF CON 23 last month..."

We're excited to announce the newest member of the Profound Logic Software team: Ted Holt! Ted is a prolific author on the topics of IBM i, RPG and COBOL development, and is an editor on IT Jungle's Four Hundred Guru newsletter.

Profound Logic Software is committed to offering the best solutions for IBM i (AS400) modernization. To meet the needs of IBM i businesses around the world, we have partnered with some of the best global ISVs and consultants available.

We are thrilled to announce three new partnerships. We have teamed up with One System, Printex Digital, and Redsis to help more IBM i shops modernize their systems worldwide. Chosen for their ingenuity in technology and IBM i expertise, we firmly believe these partners will advance the outlook of the platform internationally.

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry.

Starting off this week's edition with this special announcement...

Profound Hires Guru Editor; Begins IBM i Internship Program
by Dan Burger

• "Profound Logic Software, one of the leading IBM i vendors in the application modernization field, has hired Ted Holt, editor of our Four Hundred Guru newsletter. Holt is well known in the IBM midrange community for his knowledge of the platform, advocacy for IBM i education, and his contributions as a writer and speaker."

Source: http://www.itjungle.com/tfh/tfh083115-story05.html

What IBM Can Learn From Free-Form RPG
by Dan Burger

• "I've not talked with anyone who believes IBM is doing enough to encourage free-form conversion of old RPG code. But there is more to say about whether the benefits and the effort it takes to make the code conversion."
• "It's not that the IBM i community is totally unaware of free format RPG. It's that their awareness is based on the old free-format RPG, which was much more limited in what it could do."

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry. Let's get to it.

Young RPG Talent: It Exists If You Make an Investment
by Brian May

• "I am told at least 15 times at every conference I attend that companies cannot find RPG developers. Amazingly, I also hear from dozens of developers who say there are no jobs. Something is obviously awry here."

Source: http://www.mcpressonline.com/rpg/young-rpg-talent-it-exists-if-you-make-an-investment.html

As the demand for mobile enterprise applications in your business grows, and you feel the pressure to deliver, it becomes vital to make those applications as impactful as possible. But when you're a traditional RPG developer with no or limited mobile development experience, it can be overwhelming. In fact, you could be tempted to simply make your desktop applications responsive. If you’re still using green screens, you may even be tempted to use a mobile emulator for 5250. However, are those the best choices for your mobile application design?

Experts say ‘no’. While responsive desktop apps and emulators might be a tempting shortcut, you could also be robbing your end users of the elements they need to get the most from your apps. The good news is that there are many ways to deliver high-impact mobile applications, even if you have limited or no mobile development experience, thanks to rapid-development tools like Profound Mobile.

Here are three tips for designing mobile applications that have staying power:

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry. Tune in every Monday to stay in the loop!

In the Wheelhouse: Modernizing Legacy Applications
by Steve Pitcher

• "While I was quick to point out the great Colin Parris quote that "legacy means proven," we all must acknowledge that there is a much-needed trend to modernize applications. This modernization is not an end game but a strategic method. We must all be looking forward. We must be designing applications for the users of tomorrow with the tools we have today."

Source: http://www.mcpressonline.com/commentary/in-the-wheelhouse-modernizing-legacy-applications.html

Technology Focus: Modernizing Your Apps to Keep Up with Technology, Part 1
by John Ghrist

• "What follows is a two-part article covering application modernization tools and some commentary from modernization tool vendors that shows how they view some of the issues in their market. Part 1, published this month, will cover refacing apps for display on the web, as well as list approximately half of the vendors offering all types of modernization tools..."

You’re reading IBM i Pulse, our weekly bite-sized roundup of the latest headlines in the IBM i industry. Tune in every Monday to stay in the loop!

Lack Of Awareness Plagues Free-Form RPG
by Dan Burger

• "How could IBM be more successful with IBM i? How about this novel idea: product promotion. For all the money it spends on product development, IBM fails to expand the IBM i market because product awareness remains low."
• "The 2015 IBM i Marketplace Survey is the best available indicator of priorities. It shows half of all the IBM i shops are concerned about future skills depletion in the IBM i workforce. Free-form RPG is a solution for that."

Source: http://www.itjungle.com/tfh/tfh081015-story02.html