Top OS/400 Stories from Around the Web

(IT Jungle) Consolidating storage is a goal that has led to wider use of technologies such as virtualization and storage area networks. It's about having fast access to information when you need it. It's also about interoperability. There have been times, as we all know, when the System i has been excluded from some multi-platform environments. Improvements on the storage side are on the way. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Which of these is colder: a New Hampshire ice storm or IT spending trends in 2009? The ice storm gets my vote. Not everything on the IT spending side is freezing. Out of the following list--computer equipment sales, communications gear, software, consulting and system integration services, and outsourcing--which category would you pick to have the best prospects next year? READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) If a software company has made a pretty good business from helping customers modernize mission-critical mainframe apps, doing the same type of modernization work on a variety of non-mainframe applications might be a wise business strategy. Micro Focus isn't the only company in this app modernization arena, but it's been making headway based on acquisition after acquisition. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Before we all became addicted to the Web, shoe leather and handshakes were a big part of networking. Local user groups thrived. Now we have cyber cafes. And for those of you who are tuned into RPG programming, there's a new RPG Café brought to you by IBM. Among the things you'll find there are technology roadmaps, tutorials, and feedback on new features in the Rational Developer for i tool set. Nearby, you'll also find neighboring cafes for the EGL, C, and C++ minded. READ MORE >

(CRN) The picture this brings to mind is two bighorn sheep butting heads. The collisions are terrific. The frequency and endurance are admirable. The bighorn sheep in this instance are IBM and Hewlett-Packard executives. In the words of IBM's Robert Moffat, directed at HP Chairman and CEO Mark Hurd: "The stuff that Mr. Hurd said was going away [System z and Power Systems] kicked his ass." And after head-butting HP, Moffat turned on Cisco and Sun. READ MORE >

(ZD Net) How many IBM execs will you find on the list of the 10 most influential biztech leaders of 2008? Here's a hint: It's one less than 10 other business technology companies. Read all about those visionary executive contributions that made the chosen boys' top 10 material. And, by the way, if you check the 2007 list, there are no IBMers there either. READ MORE >

(System iNews) As the frequency of cost-cutting measures increase, will the System i total cost of ownership message (the one that IBM pretty much refuses to market) be discovered by companies that are unaware of it? Who is tracking how much it costs to maintain and run their systems in these times of scrutinizing where and why the IT money is being spent? And why don't they like i? READ MORE >

Vendor Announcements, Promotions, and Deals

(IT Jungle) Enterprise Generation Language (EGL) is IBM's preferred cross-platform Web development environment for the System i users. For those who have been halted by the steep learning curve that comes with Java, EGL is a tonic that reduces the brain cramps. Saying Java is far from being universally accepted by the RPG developer community is an understatement, but if your decision is to ultimately produce Java code, EGL is worth a look. Here's what IBM has done to make things a bit easier. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) Automated testing tools are supposed to substantially reduce the time-consuming process of testing applications before tossing them into the fire of everyday use. Streamlining the application development process is the big fish that many organizations using these tools are hoping to catch. And if the testing software is not development environment specific, you can quickly see the benefits piggyback. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) You did what? Sure, accidents happen, but aren't you glad they always happen to the other guy? And, it's always a lot funnier when they do. I'm a firm believer in learning by my mistakes, even though it sometimes takes repeated mistakes before the lesson is fully learned. IT mistakes are no different. Here are a few that can teach us all a lesson or two. READ MORE >

(IT Jungle) When you operate under the demands of "I needed it yesterday," time never seems to be on your side. You've probably felt this kind of pressure in your IT department. If you could roll back time, you would. The next best thing is being handed a task today and handing it back completed tomorrow. Could you do this with a Web application? Not everyone can, but here's an example of what a difference a day can make. READ MORE >

Redbooks, White Papers, and Other OS/400 Resources

(IBM) Stop in at the new RPG cyber café to find articles, books, and presentations on RPG. Among the resources to be found are materials provided by IBMers such as Barbara Morris, George Farr, Clause Weiss, and Don Yantzi, plus contributions from experts such as Jon Paris and Susan Gantner. READ MORE >

(Quadrant) Justifying IT projects means demonstrating that the return on investment is both short and sweet. This white paper on paperless process management examines the cost benefits related to reduced use of paper and printers, the workflow efficiencies that result in reduced labor costs, and the savings gained by running a PPM system on existing hardware. READ MORE >

(IBM) This study evaluates the development productivity differences required to build a useful working application, using tools that support IBM's Enterprise Generation Language (EGL) and Microsoft's .NET. It's a follow-up to an earlier study comparing productivity differences between J2EE and .NET. IBM commissioned these studies, so take that into account. What you find here will be useful, but it won't be fair and balanced. READ MORE >

(SkyView Partners) The importance of object level security and its advantages over exit point security is discussed in this white paper. Particular emphasis is given to regulations that require implementation of "deny by default" protections and on performance issues that can plague exit point programs. READ MORE >

Chats, Webinars, Seminars, Shows, and Other Happenings

See our full calendar of events at
http://www.itjungle.com/fhm/fhm-calendar.html

January 8, 2009 -- Wauwatosa, Wisconsin - Bruce Guetzkow, the information services director at United Credit Service, will be the guest speaker at the Wisconsin Midrange Computer Professional Association meeting. His first presentation, at 4:30 p.m., highlights free and inexpensive software options that run on the System i. His second presentation, at 7:30 p.m., highlights a collection of techniques Guetzkow has come up with over the years to tackle more tasks in less time. In between the two sessions is dinner and networking with the members. The meeting will be held at Alioto's Restaurant located at 3041 North Mayfair Road. LEARN MORE >

January 18-22, 2009 -- Orlando, Florida - Lotusphere, the biggest Lotus event of each year, brings together developers, administrators, IT and business professionals looking for collaborative software and solutions. It includes presentations on the latest innovations, hands-on training, and networking discussions, as well as the latest word on Lotus products and strategy. LEARN MORE >

April 26-30, 2009 -- Reno, Nevada - The COMMON Annual Meeting and Exposition, the largest IBM Power Systems user group meeting each year, features five days of in-depth IBM i and AIX education that includes all-day pre-conference workshops, all-day integrated seminars, open labs, and a wide variety of regular-length sessions. More than 90 vendors of hardware, software, and services will be in the expo area, where many attendees find information about improving productivity and reducing costs. Conference registration is discounted for those registering before April 2. LEARN MORE >