March 1996

• In This Issue -
• Letters -
• Client/Server's Holy Grail - Roger Pence admits snazzy push buttons and list boxes are nice, but he maintains that client/server's real payoff isn't in making it easier for users to enter data -- but to extract it.
• IBM Courts Entry-Level Customers - Pam Jones reports on IBM's February 1996 announcements, including a lower-priced 40S processor, an AS/400 Advanced 36 that runs both SSP and OS/400, a new Advanced Portable processor, and specially priced hardware packages.
• Newswatch -
• International Update -
• Update -
• TCP/IP: The AS/400's Passport to Multiplatform Networking -
• What's Missing from the AS/400's TCP/IP? - John Enck discusses the state of the current version of the AS/400's TCP/IP, which includes many improvements but still lacks key features -- such as name serving, dynamic IP addressing, Network File System support, and better Internet capabilities -- that bring it up to speed with other vendors' TCP/IP implementations.
• AS/400 Printing with LPR/LPD - David Brim looks at Line Printer Requester and Line Printer Daemon, the AS/400's TCP/IP print team, but warns that they may lack functions you need.
• Taming TCP/IP Subnets - Mel Beckman explains TCP/IP subnets, a way to organize TCP/IP LANs into controllable networks. TCP/IP subnets make it easier to connect your corporate network to multiple networks, including the worldwide Internet.
• Integrate Non-AS/400 Databases into your DB2/400 Apps - Jeffrey Tenner explains how the V3R1 SQL Client Integration (SQLCI) architecture lets AS/400 applications access remote, non-AS/400 databases.
• Break Free with Electronic Forms - Anne Hedin tells you why you should cut your ties to expensive and hard-to-change preprinted paper stock. Electronic forms can save as much as 50 percent of the production, inventory, and labor costs associated with traditional preprinted forms. They can also help you respond to rapidly changing business needs by letting you make changes at will.
• C/S Watch -
• Accelerate PowerBuilder's Performance with DB2/400 - John Von Haden, a Certified PowerBuilder Developer, shows how to give PowerBuilder applications quicker access to DB2/400 data with RetrieveAsNeeded and user object function uf_retrieve coding techniques.
• Securing the OS/400 File Transfer Server - Wayne Madden explains how to secure the file transfer function. Steps to take include removing the file transfer client program from the PCs of users who don't need file transfer, permitting only a select group of users access to the file transfer server program, limiting the libraries these users can see, and using an exit program to control which users can transfer which AS/400 objects.
• Anyone for AnyNet? - David Brim takes a look at IBM's new implementation of the Multiprotocol Transport Network (MPTN) architecture and how to use AnyNet/400 to connect PCs to your AS/400.
• In Search of a WAIT Opcode - Ernie Malaga's DSPWAIT utility provides a WAIT function to your RPG and Cobol programs and lets you tell users how long a delay to expect.
• Tech Corner -
• NEWSMART/400 -
• Buyer's Guide: TCP/IP Network Printers - AS/400-compatible TCP/IP-attachable printers.
• New Products & Services -
• IBM Announcements -
• Street Talk -