April 2005

• Teaching Programs to Talk - Commands SndUsrMsg and SndBrkMsgU let a CL program send a message to a user and then receive a reply. In this installment, you learn how to put these commands to work to send informational or inquiry messages that let users choose further program action.
• Transcendent Mediation - Interested in entertainment? You can forget reality TV; it's already past its prime. The entertainment medium of the future awaits the brave.
• Industry Observer - The resources listed here provide information about the pros and cons of electronic health records, perspectives on Service-Oriented Architecture, and an update on software patent issues.
• User Interface Generators - When developers need to Web-enable or add a GUI to legacy iSeries applications, user interface generation tools can save time. A brief summary of nearly 50 available solutions show there are plenty of options from which to choose.
• CGI Programming and the iSeries - Using the APIs that are already avaiable on the iSeries, programmers are finding that Common Gateway Interface technology makes a lot of sense as an approach to Web application development.
• Technology Considerations for Web-based Java Apps - You've probably heard of HTML, JavaBeans, JSPs, servlets, Struts, and the MVC design pattern. But what about JavaScript, JSTL, and JSF? Learn what you need to know to develop Web-based Java apps.
• Killer Club Tech - Persisting Folded or Truncated State When Reloading Subfiles
• User Interface Resources from North of the Border - Over the past several years, Phil Coulthard and George Farr have given iSeries NEWS readers a great deal of valuable material about user interface technology. Check out these articles at iSeriesNetwork.com.
• A Brief Look at User Interfaces - Many iSeries developers may feel they are locked into a text-based user interface. Not true! Your experience with the iSeries' superior flexibility and reliability for storing and retrieving information is to your advantage. Read on to find out why.
• ILE Refresher - ILE provides a structure for calling programs in different languages. Modules, service programs, and activation groups help you unclutter your code. Here's an overview of how ILE supplies the basis for pre-built, language-independent components for your applications.
• i5 Web Development with ColdFusion - Macromedia ColdFusion is much easier to learn than Java or .NET, and it's a viable option for i5 Web development. Walk through some examples of using ColdFusion to create i5 Web applications and see if it might just be what your shop has been looking for.
• Automate iSeries Domino Directory Maintenance - This helpful utility will greatly reduce the amount of time and effort required to keep your Domino Directories shipshape.
• Simplify Your EDI - EDI systems are a necessity but creating them from scratch is time-consuming and error-prone. An integrated EDI solution such as Inovis' TrustedLink iSeries can provide a simpler and more reliable EDI implementation route.
• 10Gigabit Ethernet: The Next Big Speed Boost - Check out the next big increment in network speed: 10Gigabit Ethernet. It's 10 times faster than Gigabit Ethernet, but not 10 times more expensive. Learn the ropes of 10Gig cabling and network design, and start paving the way for an order of magnitude bump in bandwidth.
• The Fall (and Rise?) of iSeries Education - The dot-com bust and 9/11 hit iSeries education hard. As many iSeries pros plan to retire early, and with such a dearth of available, entry-level iSeries hires, companies should prepare now by focusing on continual learning and knowledge transfer.
• Lotusphere Becoming Another iSeries Trade Show - A sampling of product upgrade announcements at Lotusphere demonstrate that it's becoming a defacto trade show for iSeries, too.
• Dr. I. Doctor - Dr. I. Doctor explains how to track down a virus-infected computer, and how to give consultants and visitors Internet access without compromising enterprise LAN security.
• f.y.iSeries -
• IBM Announcements -
• RPG Is Dead — Long Live RPG! - RPG and fixed-format languages have much to teach us about the potential of simple, purpose-driven programming tools. But with the rise of free-format languages, the future of RPG is more uncertain than ever.
• Ask for Forgiveness - Many companies have grown, in part, on the backs of the innovative efforts of IBM midrange IT teams. Have we now become risk averse? Stand up to "Windows creep" and show what your iSeries is capable of.
• CGIDEV Makes RPG Progammers' Lives Easier - CGIDEV is part of Easy400, and it lets RPG developers create dynamic Web pages quickly and easily -- without having to hand-code HTML in their RPG programs. To see how easy it is, walk through a sample Web-application created with CGIDEV.
• Hot New Products -
• A Beginner's Guide to Setting Up the Power5 Server and HMC - Using these step-by-step instructions and available online resources, you can smooth out the bumps on the path to a successful first-time Power5 setup.