News on tech acquisitions and Libra; IBM‑powered AI Mayflower ship; RPG enhancements and Git/GitHub basics; ERP vendor trends and reconsidering ERP projects; AS/400 modernization and legacy process discovery; open‑source updates on Python, IBM Q quantum computing, and Node v12; historical tech trends; IBM i job openings and contact information.
Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly
- News: What have we learned from tech company acquisitions? What is Libra? IBM is trading down.
- AI: IBM powers the Mayflower with AI.
- Development: Enhancements for RPG. Getting started with Git and GitHub.
- ERP: No wonder why ERP vendors are partying. Is a new ERP really the right answer?
- Modernization: Legacy AS/400 process discovery. Lessons learned from modernization.
- Open Source: Getting started with Python and IBM Q. A new version of Node is released.
- Trends: Look to the past for the future.
News
The Big Five: Largest Acquisitions by Tech Company
Take notice that the big five tech companies sometimes acquire organizations that don't seem to be related to their core business.
For example, back in 2014 many might have been confused as to why Google would acquire Nest. It caught legacy companies like Honeywell, Lennox, and others by surprise.
Google became a competitor they did not expect. Google's direct access to the consumer — data — allowed Nest to disrupt the HVAC market and ultimately spark more innovation in the industry.
Facebook’s Libra Association crumbling as Visa
Facebook's blockchain-powered digital currency Libra had a setback this past week. A number of major payment processors backed out.
Would we have imagined 10 years ago we would be talking about a social media company developing its own currency? More on what Libra is here.
It's not hard to see why both consumers and merchants are turning towards cryptocurrency or digital payments.
A cryptocurrency is a digital asset that is kept on a shared ledger called a blockchain. The blockchain cannot be altered, which means that funds and goods can be transferred trustfully. This increases transparency and reduces the possibility of fraud.
IBM Group Sales down but Cloud and Open Source segments are up
Q3 sales show that IBM is down 3.9%, but revenue from Red Hat is up 20%.
The Red Hat acquisition though, which caused a number of raised eyebrows when it was originally announced, seems to be already paying off.
Maybe Q4 will be better.
AI
New Mayflower Ship Powered by IBM AI
To mark the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower making its voyage from Plymouth, England to Cape Cod, a new version of the Mayflower will make an autonomous journey in 2020.
The autonomous Mayflower will be decked out with solar panels, as well as diesel and wind turbines to provide it with its propulsion power, as it attempts the 3,220-mile journey from Plymouth in England, to Plymouth in Massachusetts in the U.S
We have to wonder about the possibilities here.
Stepping back.
It’s experiments like these that lead to innovation that can be brought back to the industry and more practical uses. In fact, as IBM points out, up to 90% of IT projects in 2019 will be rooted in experimentation.
Development
Fall 2019 enhancements for RPG
The ILE RPG compiler has several enhancements for 7.3 and 7.4.
On a side note: If you frequent the IBM Developer Works Connection platform, it will cease to exist on January 1st, 2020.
This is due to an effort by IBM to consolidate its digital publications, eliminate duplicate content and improve user experience.
Getting started with Git and GitHub is easier than ever with GitHub Desktop 2.2
How to get started with Git and GitHub with GitHub Desktop 2.0.
The reason some developers — or anyone, for that matter — hesitate with learning something new is that they are intimidated by learning something new.
GitHub requires a new way of thinking about development. To make it easy, GitHub Desktop 2.0 has an interactive feature that will help you get started.
ERP
Why ERP Vendors are Partying Like it's 1999
This might shake things up a bit. But it is hard to argue with the logic here.
There is a huge push by:
The big ERP vendors and their systems integrators seem to be having a field day lately. Forced upgrades, shifting customers from one-time payments to recurring revenue models going into perpetuity, and a larger share of IT spend are just a few of the things lining the vendors’ pockets.
I can't tell you how many times I have spoken to clients who have tried to go down the ERP transformation path and have either failed and reverted back to modernizing their legacy systems, or spent an obscene amount of money to implement a new system to get a solution that is not at all what they expected.
Is it time to rethink ERP projects?
Modernization
Legacy AS-400 RPG Process Discovery
One of the challenges of modernization is learning how to identify RPG programs that are indispensable.
Here is a short video that helps you discover business processes that will help you evaluate how valuable they are to the business.
Modernization. Lessons Learned
The hardest part about AS/400 modernization is knowing where to start.
Perhaps the best way to start is by learning from others and then, of course, diving in.
Here is the 3rd lesson of Lessons Learned in Modernization, by Neil Woodhams, which covers how to get RPG applications to the web.
Open Source
IBM i Clients can get Started With IBM Q
Are you looking to get into Python on the IBM i? Here is how IBM i clients can get started with IBM Q.
The "Q" refers to Quantum Computing.
IBM Q is state-of-the-art for the transmon-based “quantum Turing machine” model, theorized to execute any quantum algorithm.
This is how you get started with Quantum Information Science Kit — Qiskit.
I realize that there is a small part of our community that is using Node.js, but I thought it would be worthwhile to note some of the recent changes with the new version.
Trends
Take a look at the past to spot future trends
If you are a history and computer buff, you will enjoy this site about Computer History.
It covers everything from how Silicon Valley gets its name, to Internet History — 1962 to 1992, to the Complete Timeline of Computing History — 1940 to 2015.
There happen to be 294 entries for IBM. It's fascinating to see how far we have come.
One can only imagine where we will go.
Jobs
If you are looking for opportunities, we have multiple IBM i (AS/400) openings across the United States.
They range from IBM i Manager, RPG Developers to IBM i Modernization Architects. All openings offer relocation assistance.
Schedule a call to learn more.
Contact us
If you are an RPG programmer looking to explore opportunities or a client who is looking for talented IBM i professionals, please contact us.
We look forward to assisting you.
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