News on IBM i developments in Europe, career advice and thank‑you letter tips, Node.js best‑practice and Julia for machine learning, RPG modernization projects, open‑source machine‑learning resources with Node.js, trends in 5G connectivity and AI platforms, and calls to join the newsletter or contact for IBM i opportunities.
Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly
Here is what is going on both inside and outside of the IBM i community this week.
- News: An IBM i perspective from Europe and bringing leadership up to speed on the IBM i.
- Career: Thank you letters and four smart things to do for your career.
- Development: Node.js best practices. And who is Julia?
- Modernization: An RPG Modernization project.
- Open Source: Machine learning with Node.js
- Trends: Next generation Mobile connectivity, DeepBrain and AI.
News
Common Europe: Thirty years for the IBM i Perspectives from Europe. President Common Europe, Shrirang "Ranga" Deshpande makes two very interesting points in this interview. First, in order for an IT department “to remain “forever young”, the IT manager really only has to use the many innovations that IBM has built over the years. IBM i is “state of the art” in the server world – and often still unequaled role model.” Second, we need to make sure that modernization is not a “singular event, but as a continuous, sustainably designed process.” Heidi Schmidt, President Common Germany goes on to point out that "software modernization must not remain a "project", but should be lived as a permanent process in the company, which brings together users and developers on a lasting basis and thereby creates value-adding customized and innovative software." CIO Summit brings leadership up to speed on the IBM i “The IBM i server is mystery to many. Not only does it run on abnormal hardware – at least compared to “standards-based” X86 computers – but its programming languages, user interfaces, and administrative tasks can seem otherworldly to the uninitiated.” For this reason, it is equally important to spend time educating executives on the value of the platform. Alan Seiden, makes this his personal mission. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense.
Career
The after interview thank you letter For those of you in the interview process. Writing a follow-up thank you letter is an important part of the process. Here is some helpful advice. The 4 smartest things I did for my career This article and it’s advice targets college grads but the advice given is still relevant if you are a professional that has been in the workforce for 2 or even 20 years. Keeping in touch with your network and finding a mentor might be the most relevant but all four have some level of importance.
Development
Best practice for Node.js If you are an RPG Developer and have started developing in Node.js or are thinking about it. Here “is a summary and curation of the top-ranked content on Node.js best practices”. Julia programming language helps bridge Machine-Learning gap You might be thinking, I have never heard of Julia before. Julia is an open source language used for machine learning and is pushing the boundaries in deep learning and AI. There are a number of use cases for Julia out there which proves that you will likely be hearing more about Julia in the future.
Modernization
An RPG Modernization Project is underway Modernization projects in all reality are initiated by the business. Business needs change and this results in the need to update and modernize systems. It starts with the database and then the applications. This is exactly what one of our clients is doing right now. If you are an RPG developer who is interested in helping a company modernize. This might be just the opportunity you are looking for.
Open Source
Machine learning with Node.js Have you heard of James Thomas? Maybe not. He is a Developer Advocate for IBM’s Cloud division. As IBM i environments push towards the cloud he is someone you might become more familiar with. Some of his work centers around Machine learning that uses Node.js.
Trends
Next generation mobile connectivity We are in a period of time where technology is advancing at an incredible speed. It changes everything. It’s the reason we have to push modernization on all levels. Because “in the coming years, the newest generation of mobile connectivity – 5G – will roll out and change what is possible again. With maximum speeds up to 1,000x faster than 4G, this new technology will again shift consumer behavior, as well as how we view smartphones, communications, IoT, gaming, and AR/VR.” DeepBrain Chain will power AI development Where will AI take is in the next 5 years. “AI development has become more popular over the last few years. Algos like Amazon’s Alexa are entering mainstream consumer culture. People are getting used to having AI assistants, and using AI for numerous daily activities.”
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