August 1998

• In This Issue -
• Letters -
• Which IBM Are You Talking To? - IBM's focus has shifted from hardware and maintenance to services, says Robert Tipton, and low-cost-to-own solutions such as the AS/400 may not be so important to the new IBM.
• Making, not Taking, Orders - Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce - RPG programmers have at least a few good years before Java relegates them to burger flipping, writes Roger Pence.
• A Revealing Look at the IT Press - An AS/400 consultant, Scott Steinacher, reviewed 100 issues of mainstream IT publications to see why the AS/400 doesn't get much press.
• Newswatch -
• Marketing the AS/400 - Finally - Since dissatisfaction with AS/400 marketing efforts reached its peak at last fall's COMMON, IBM has made several key management changes and has begun to implement a comprehensive marketing plan for the AS/400e. Chris Miller reports on the progress being made.
• Browser-Based Host Access: The Next Wave? - Although relatively few users currently access host systems using browser-based technology, many vendors are preparing for a post-Y2K explosion of "Web-to-host" access, reports Pam Jones.
• Spreading the Risks: How to Manage Your E-Business Portfolio - Nahid Jilovec says that although it sometimes makes sense to stick with one vendor to manage your portfolio of IT needs, the same approach is too risky when it comes to e-business.
• Windows NT and the AS/400: Cooperation and Integration -
• Installing and Configuring Windows NT Server on a V4R2 IPCS - Jim Bahr describes how, with V4R2 and an IPCS, you can use the AS/400 Integration with Windows NT Server to install and run Windows NT Server 4.0 on an IPCS server.
• 6 Tips for Running Windows NT on the IPCS - David Hanna provides tips for installing and running Windows NT Server 4.0 on a V4R2 AS/400 Integrated PC Server.
• AS/400 File and Print Sharing Without Client Access! - IBMer Bridget Meyer explains how to set up and use AS/400 Support for Windows Network Neighborhood (a.k.a. AS/400 NetServer), a V4R2 feature that lets an AS/400 serve IFS directories and printer output queues to Windows 95/NT and Windows for Workgroups PCs.
• Interactive SQL - If you've got SQL/400, you've got an interactive program to help you work with SQL. The interactive feature's function keys and intelligent prompting give a boost to both new users and veterans. Jef Sutherland explains how to use the interactive program and provides hints for getting the most out of it.
• Java Data Types and Variables - Java has a full range of primitive data types to match RPG's. In this ongoing series about the language, IBMers Phil Coulthard and George Farr tell what Java data types are and how to use them.
• The History Utility - Job logs are invaluable for debugging but can be difficult to understand and use. Narayanan Pillai, Rohit Mani, and John Earl describe the History utility, which provides an interface that helps isolate escape and request messages, lets you re-create a batch run, and even lets you re-execute commands right from the job log.
• To the Rescue: V4 Backup and Recovery Enhancements - Paul Koeller describes how enhancements in OS/400 V4R1 and V4R2 help you protect one of your most valuable assets: the data on your AS/400.
• Printing AS/400 Output with Windows NT's TCP/IP Print Services - If you're in a TCP/IP environment and have Windows NT, you can easily - and at no extra cost - leverage those capabilities to provide TCP/IP LAN printing for your AS/400 output. Brian Singleton explains how.
• The Case of the Concealed Weapon - Dan Cruikshank and James Stewart show how to use command DSPFD to determine I/O volumes against your files so you can achieve good performance when you propagate your data.
• Tech Corner -
• Client Access Family FAQs -
• New Products -
• IBM Announcements -
• Street Talk -
• Displaying Unreferenced Fields -
• Case-Sensitive SQL String Comparisons -
• Retrieving a Four-Digit Year in ILE Cobol -
• Multiple Copies of a Library -
• Electronic Forms -
• Security of Source Files -
• Configuring NetServer -
• PWRDWNSYS with Active Jobs -
• SQL Error -
• Client Access Disconnect Problem -
• Overrides and ILE Activation Groups -
• Validity Checker for SBMJOB's *JOBQ Parameter -
• Updating DB2/400 via ODBC -
• Passing Subfile Records to a Called Program -