IBM i cybersecurity concerns, ACS password vulnerabilities, VS Code and GitHub Copilot enhancing RPG development, new SQL view for configuration monitoring, talent strategy and hiring challenges in the IBM i community, leadership through awareness, COMMON’s free virtual workshops, retirement savings insights, and the lack of home‑office tax deductions for W‑2 employees in 2025.
Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly
- IBM i Brief: 🔒 IBM i users prioritize cybersecurity above all else. 🔐 ACS password vulnerabilities raise IBM i security concerns.
- Development: 💻VS Code and GitHub Copilot revolutionize RPG development. ⚙️ New SQL View simplifies IBM i configuration status monitoring.
- Hiring: 🏆Is the IBM i About To Enter The Golden Age?
- Leadership: 👁️ Leadership Starts With Awareness.
- Learning: 🎓 COMMON offers free half-day virtual workshops for members.
- Other: How Far Will $1M get you in Retirement. 📊 Home office tax deductions remain unavailable for W-2 employees in 2025.
IBM i Brief
🔒 IBM i users prioritize cybersecurity above all else
According to Fortra’s 2025 IBM i Marketplace Survey of 250 users, cybersecurity remains the top concern with 77% listing it in their top five. The survey revealed balancing security controls with business efficiency (48%) and security knowledge gaps (47%) as key challenges.
🔐 ACS password vulnerabilities raise IBM i security concerns.
Silent Signal’s research reveals potential password exposure risks in older ACS Windows Application Package installations using WINLOGON authentication. With Microsoft’s Windows 11 24H2 update disabling WINLOGON by default, IBM i shops must transition to more secure authentication methods like Kerberos or implement alternative password caching solutions to maintain system security.
Development
💻VS Code and GitHub Copilot revolutionize RPG development
Gregory Simmons, a Software Engineer with PC Richard & Son, in a recent article highlights the transformative impact of VS Code and GitHub Copilot on RPG programming.
He shows how Copilot’s AI-powered assistance, with over 22 million downloads since 2021 can increase developer productivity by 25-55%.
The tool excels at handling routine coding tasks, offering contextual suggestions, and streamlining error logging processes, making it a valuable asset for modern IBM i development.
⚙️ New SQL View simplifies IBM i configuration status monitoring
Replacing traditional WRKCFGSTS command with enhanced database functionality in IBM i 7.5 TR11 and TR5.
Hiring
🏆Is the IBM i About To Enter The Golden Age?
I believe we are about to enter the Golden Age of the IBM i, where perception and reality have aligned within the IBM i community. The platform’s capabilities, especially in open-source solutions, present a compelling story for newcomers.
The roots of the AS/400 platform are rock-solid.
And today’s IBM i, running on cutting-edge Power Systems, offer incredible capabilities that rival any platform.
The IBM i has pivoted.
It offers seamless cloud integration, support for Python, PHP, and Node.js, and AI-ready hardware, all while retaining the integrated database and security that has made it legendary.
It is this mix of stability and forward-thinking flexibility that has organizations realizing they can modernize without abandoning a platform that has quietly become one of the most adaptable systems to date.
Now, you might be thinking🤔 this is all great, but how do we find the talent?
Developing A Talent Strategy
While every IBM i shop has similar characteristics each one is inherently unique.
There is no one-size-fits-all all approach.
Characteristics of IBM i shops:
- Some have one RPG Developer; and others have over twenty.
- Some have in-house ERP systems, while others have third-party ERP systems (typically heavily modified 🙂)
- Some rely on consultants; others don’t.
- Some have a modernization plan; other’s have not even started.
- Some have upgraded their systems; and others have not.
- Some have Sr. RPG Developers who are great mentors; and others do not.
Are these some of the things you are thinking about? Then,
This webinar will address misconceptions about talent availability, highlight modern technology integration, and propose strategies for building a sustainable IBM i talent pipeline.
Talent acquisition challenges are universal, but the IBM i community has unique advantages.
Leadership
👁️ Leadership Starts With Awareness
A compelling perspective argues that effective leadership stems not from excessive thinking but from pure awareness.
Leaders often get trapped in mental chatter and overthinking, missing the clarity that comes from being present.
The concept, exemplified by Steve Jobs’ “reality distortion field,” suggests that breakthrough leadership emerges from seeing reality directly, unfiltered by mental narratives about limitations or predetermined solutions.
Awareness:
Leadership isn’t about thinking. It’s about awareness. And awareness is insanely powerful.
Most of us spend our days trapped in our heads, solving imaginary problems in imaginary futures. We mistake mental chatter for intelligence.
When your mind is quiet, you’ll see what needs to be done. You’ll see connections others miss.
So…”stop thinking and start seeing.”
Learning
🎓 COMMON offers free half-day virtual workshops for members, providing in-depth IBM i education across various IT topics with interactive Q&A sessions.
An impressive roster of IBM i veterans will share their expertise, including Barbara Morris (RPG compiler lead developer), Birgitta Hauser (DB2 modernization specialist), and Scott Forstie (Db2 for i Architect).
The sessions will feature open-source advocates like Liam Allan and Aaron Magid, focusing on modern development practices and system integration.
These workshops promise to deliver practical insights from professionals who have shaped the platform’s evolution.
Other
💰How Far Will $1M get you in Retirement
Stumbled upon this and found it interesting:
A new study reveals how $1 million in retirement savings, combined with Social Security benefits, lasts differently across U.S. states, impacting retirement planning strategies.
📊 Home office tax deductions remain unavailable for W-2 employees in 2025 with the TCJA suspension continuing to limit this benefit to self-employed individuals and business owners.
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