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If you like to solve the same problems over and over, this tip is not for you. As far as I’m concerned, that sort of thing is for the birds. I prefer to solve a problem once and move on to other challenges. If you agree, then I have a good technique to share with you.

One very good way to solve a problem once–and only once–is by writing your own CL commands. After all, you don’t write an RPG (COBOL, whatever HLL . . .) program when you

I check my daily Web logs to see what intranet Web applications are being used. The log gets updated on the AS/400 and provides a great tool for our auditors. I came in one morning and the log was empty. I thought that was funny because we normally get 175 to 200 entries per day. I checked the log throughout the day on that particular day and there were many entries of usage. The next morning, it was empty again. This was happening every morning when I came in. Because we do a lot of client server applications using ODBC,

When I create new ODBC Data Sources to connect my Windows PCs to my i5 systems, I notice that Microsoft‘s ODBC Data Source Administrator will let me configure three different categories of Data Source Names (DSN): User DSN, System DSN, and File DSN. I always choose User DSN. Am I making the right choice?

–Bob

Don’t worry. No one has ever lost any teeth by choosing the wrong ODBC DSN type. Rather, form should follow function in DSN category selection and the type you select is wholly dependent on how you want to use your connection. Each DSN category