IBM Gets Its EGL Jam On

Published: January 27, 2009

by Alex Woodie

IBM is reaching out to customers for ideas on how to improve EGL, the fourth-generation language (4GL) programming language that IBM brought to the System i last year from the System z. The outreach effort, which is hosted on the EGL Café Web site, is called EGL Jam 2009, and you have until the end of the week to make your opinion heard.

What would you have IBM to do with EGL? Where do you want Big Blue to take it? Maybe you want IBM to make EGL an open standard? Or perhaps you would like it to generate RPG program calls (its current functionality is concentrated in Java and COBOL generation). Better support for UML, SOAP, MySQL, EGL-XML support, stored procedures, CICS--whatever technology trips your trigger, the astute braniacs at IBM Rational would like to hear them.

The EGL Jam 2009, which is currently being hosted at IBM's EGL Café Web site, is an open forum for EGL ideas--or, as one IBM spokesperson put it, a "big virtual brainstorm."

As of yesterday, the Jam had generated 49 "idea documents," mostly consisting of technical requirements submitted by Jam participants. Along with submitting ideas, IBM is asking Jam participants to rate the ideas of others. The rating period is open through Friday.

The Jam is open to anyone with a valid IBM ID and a password.. To begin participating, log in to the EGL Café at www-949.ibm.com/software/rational/cafe/community/egl.

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