IBM i 30‑year anniversary and future outlook; news on IBM i celebrations and industry perspectives; leadership advice for team appreciation and development; learning resources linking Unity, IBM Watson, and RPGLE for skill building; modernization of legacy platforms and software implementation challenges; career insights on commuting, success factors, and adaptability; invitation to subscribe to Talsco Weekly.
The IBM i platform is 30 years old
I don’t know about you, but if you are 30 years old you are in your prime. So, there it is. IBM i is in it’s prime. AI, Mobile, Cloud, Data Analytics and Cognitive computing are here. Innovative and exciting times lie ahead for the IBM i platform. In every issue of Talsco Weekly, our goal is to help educate the IBM i community as to how all the pieces fit together. In the coming months, we will start an exciting new project that will do just that. Stay tuned. Enjoy this weeks issue.
News
IBM i 30th Anniversary Celebration The focus is not on the past but on the future and the “influx of young talent to the IBM i community through Fresh Faces, as well as the transformation of the platform into an equal player in mobile, cloud, analytics and cognitive.” Looking ahead: The future for the IBM i “It’s been said many times that you can’t move forward if you keep looking back. What you’ve accomplished is not the endpoint. It’s the foundation for building toward the future.” As Dan Burger, points out in his summary article, IBM will be highlighting the innovative ways organizations are using the IBM i globally.
Leadership
Six ways to show your team you appreciate them “When it comes to retaining your best employees, more money isn’t always the answer.” It’s about the little things you can do. Leadership development is a competitive advantage “We have a whole generation (or generations) of business executives that are now living through a transformation. They are living in a world where the customer is becoming much more demanding, much more informed.” This is very different than it has been in the past. The IBM i community is dealing with this right now.
Learning
Unity is one of the most in-demand technical skills When looking into Unity, you might not see the connection to how this can be used in an IBM i environment. But, it is already being used by a JORI, a Belgium, furniture manufacturer. Unity, IBM Watson, and RPGLE web services are used to create a 3D object database and configuration tool that allows for a better customer experience. Adding skills to your career has never been easier Here are 12 reasons that it is easier than ever to pick up a new skill. The only thing you have to do is commit the time to getting it done.
Modernization
Modernizing Legacy Platforms is a critical part of your Digital Strategy “Seventy percent of all legacy applications in large corporations still leverage COBOL, according to a recent study by Information Week. What’s more, many core applications within financial services continue to run on mainframes (e.g., AS/400).” The reason your software implementation did not go as planned Looking to modernize, upgrade or implement new IBM i software? Ask your self an honest question. “Do you have an implementation specialist on staff or a trusted consultant to lead you to software implementation victory?”
Career
Average commute times in all 50 states Here is a fun infographic that shows how much time we spend commuting. “The amount of time spent commuting, either in a car or via transit, can be a massive difference maker towards a person’s quality of life.” Stop sabotaging your career Why do some achieve great success and others don’t? It comes down to more than smarts. I can be due to a number of factors. Are you difficult to work with? If you are in a company that is in transition, are you flexible? And how do you react to new leadership? Do you have an attitude of me versus the attitude of we? Here is a great podcast from Wharton (or text).
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