Making HTML as Functional as a Green Screen
by Joe Pluta

The green screen has been around for a long time. There's good reason for that: It works. Other interfaces have gone by the wayside, like the multifunction card unit and the teletype (although have you noticed that every "high tech" movie that shows characters being typed on a green screen still does a teletype noise in the background?). But the green screen is a mainstay in many shops around the world, because it's simple, cheap, and reliable. READ MORE >

Data Entry Robots
by Michael Sansoterra

Sometimes undeserved credit can cause inflated expectations for future projects! I had just such an experience a few years back at a client's, after having a few simple successes that gave the impression I could do anything quickly. I was asked to load some data from a PC-based Microsoft Access database into an iSeries application. The amount of data (i.e., fields) was small, but the number of records was considerable and the expectation was that it could be done rapidly. READ MORE >

Dr. Programmer, Private Eye
by G. Wayne Hawks

Does anyone out there write a whole program from scratch anymore? Maybe we should be called software surgeons. Always cutting pieces from this program and pasting into that one. Nah, "software surgeon" is too specialized. We are more like software doctors. Usually we divide our time between giving birth to new systems and trying to prolong the lives of the old. First diagnose the errors in a program and then fix them. The diagnosing often takes the skills of a detective. And, with documentation being what it is, sometimes we have to be really good detectives. So, then, how about Dr. Programmer, Private Eye? READ MORE >

Back To Basics: Edit Words
by Kevin Vandever

You might have looked at the title of this article and thought, "Edit Words? Who needs to read about Edit Words?" I understand that a little. We as programmers have used them for years to display data on our reports and display screens, and have never needed to study them. However, it may surprise you to know that there is more to Edit Words, and if you'll take the time to dig a little deeper, you might just learn something new about them. READ MORE >

We're Looking for a Few Good Techies

Do you know RPG, DB2/400, SQL, Java, or other iSeries technologies better than you know most of your extended family? Do you like them better, too? Can you write, and do you like to do it? Then we want to talk to you about the possibilities of being a contributing editor at Guild Companies. Please send an e-mail with your areas of expertise and interest to Dan Burger, executive managing editor, at dburger@itjungle.com. Past writing experience is helpful but not required.

Reader Feedback and Insights

We value your feedback and insights. Feel free to send a letter to the editor. Letters may be printed, unless otherwise specified, and edited for clarity or length. READ MORE >