AS/400 vs iSeries vs IBM i naming debate, survey results on platform perception, IBM i modernization with AI, data analytics, machine learning and IoT, recent IBM i community news, hybrid cloud and AI developments, career advice on team dynamics and digital housekeeping, learning resources for RPG and web development, mainframe relevance in modernization, low‑code development trends, enterprise data and cloud podcasts, and a call to subscribe to Talsco Weekly.
So, is it AS/400, iSeries or IBM i?
It’s a matter of perspective. Alex Woodie, in his article that I reference below, points out that in John Rockwell’s ongoing survey that 93.4 percent of those who took the survey at the time of this writing, call it the AS/400. Brand recognition for the AS/400 so strong. It has it’s own identity that has been built upon for over 20 years. I believe the IBM i is gaining momentum and will come into it’s own in the coming years. There has been a lot of movement in the vendor market in the past couple of years and we are even starting to see reports of Mainframe shops moving to the IBM i. The IBM i is one of the most capable business systems for the enterprise and is positioned to unlock the true potential of existing company data through the use of AI, Data Analytics, Machine Learning and IoT. The shift is taking place. On to this weeks issue. Enjoy.
News
Product usage within the IBM i community, it may surprise you! If you have not read Alex Woodie’s article on IT Jungle this week, you need to. He details the findings in “John Rockwell’s 25-question survey.” One thing is for sure, the platform is not going anywhere and there is a huge opportunity for those who are willing to get to work. Using Hybrid Cloud, AI for the Modern App Revolution Everywhere you turn there is news about Cloud, AI, and Apps. The fact is, these technologies are changing business. The IBM i (AS400) community of developer’s need to embrace change. Does it mean there is no need for RPG anymore? Absolutely not. These technologies just allow for a different way to use it. Here is a story about how Five9 Vietnam Corp has used new technologies to change an economy. “Advances in areas like Internet banking, mobile banking, and automatic payment services – all of which are possible through cloud services – have lifted our once sagging financial sector”.
Career
Seven Things to Know About Dysfunctional Teams Have you ever been part of a team that did not click? Here is an interesting article that breaks down the important elements of a good team. More interesting is the reference to the future of work where the workplace will be “comprised of freelancers but also autonomous, self-directed, high performing “pods” or teams that go from project to project together.” Do you see a place for this in the IBM i market? 12 Simple Digital Housekeeping Steps “At least once a year you should do a quick audit of your social media house and get things in order. It’s not unusual for social media companies to change privacy setting options or the layout of your profile.” Now is as good time as any to make your updates.
Learning
RPG Developer: Are you looking to add to Web Development to your bag of tricks? Then bookmark this site. freeCodeCamp is a website dedicated to helping people learn to code. There are thousands upon thousands of success stories of how individuals who have never coded before make a career change by getting started with freeCodeCamp. This website is a valuable resource for the IBM i developer who is looking to add to their RPG programming skills. Web Development Languages to Learn in 2018 Not too late to pick up new web development technologies for 2018. This list overlaps some of our recommendations, like PHP, from earlier this year but there are some new ones as well. This is a quick read, with links to tutorials on how to get started.
Modernization
We All Use Mainframes And don’t even realize it. All of the industries referenced in this article run the IBM i, AS/400, or iSeries platform. Mainframes are not going anywhere soon because of the business logic and data sitting on these systems are needed in any modernization effort. AI is coming to your Enterprise Business AI (Artificial Intelligence) is not a buzzword. It’s reality. “Just as social networking and smartphones took hold first in the consumer world and then moved into business, we can also expect artificial intelligence to begin to move into business applications in a natural way.” We, as stewards of the IBM i (AS/400 OR iSeries) community, need to embrace the new technologies that are available. As this article points out, Infor has it’s own AI offering for both Healthcare and Manufacturing.
Trends
Low-Code Development: Is it really “low-code?” The trend that is emerging as a result of the need for enterprise organizations to deal with their mountain of technical debt is to use low code development platforms. They allow “coders and so-called “citizen developers” – non-coders with strong general computer skills and domain expertise – to build applications. However, not all low-code platforms are created equal, and many fail to live up to their promises.” Podcast: Seth Dorbin, Chief Data Officer, IBM Analytics Are you looking to understanding the importance of Enterprise Data and what it will mean for your organization? This podcast discusses, the future of enterprises and how they use Cloud, Analytics, and Data. “IBM Private cloud for data strips away the complexity” to manage all the necessary pieces.
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