7 ms·
Is there a reason for them to upgrade this system to newer languages?
by chris_wot 10y ago
Is there a reason for them to upgrade this system to newer languages?
- pjmlp 10y agoYes, to bring modern software to those platforms. All IBM mainframes support C, C++ and Java in addition to the platform original languages.
- chris_wot 10y agoThat's not really a reason with a business case attached. That's just "these other languages are modern, use them instead!".
- pjmlp 10y agoNo, it is the other way around and it surely has a business case. Instead of throwing out the investment done in years in the mainframe hardware, because juniors cannot grasp old technologies or don't feel like using them, bring them into the mainframe, while keeping the investment into the existing working stack. Instead of writing a REST API in RPG, which doesn't know anything about Web APIs, used to create the customer support application, make use of JEE/Spring instead to provide a SOAP/REST API. Just a possible business case, that is actually used in production for Java applications on IBM mainframes.
- kwhitefoot 10y agoThere is nothing especially modern about C, C++, and Java.
- pjmlp 10y agoC for sure isn't modern, never was, given ESPOL and NEWP in the 60's. But it surely feels modern when compared against COBOL and RPG. On the other hand, C++ and Java are quite modern for the overall mainframe mindset.
- kalleboo 10y agoTo be able to hire cheaper talent. There are a million college graduates who can churn out good-enough Java out there. Good Assembler programmers who are willing to learn the quirks of an obscure platform might be able to find higher-paying jobs.