System i shops considering the move to EGL and more modern development techniques will be interested in learning about the enhancements that IBM has delivered with Rational Business Developer version 7.5.1, which became available two weeks ago. With this release, Big Blue delivered a new component called EGL Rich UI, which IBM claims takes much of the grunt work out of designing and creating Web 2.0-style user interfaces. It also added support for key Internet technologies, and bolstered its support for mainframe applications.

Rational Business Developer is IBM’s primary offering for developing Web 2.0 applications that offer rich user experiences,

The IT industry moves relentlessly forward, forcing professionals to continually adapt to new technologies. Simultaneously, IT pros must keep an eye to so-called “legacy” technologies that are still in widespread use. This seeming dichotomy was on display with a recent announcement from Original Software, which makes test automation tools. The version 6 release of its TestDrive suite moved forward with improved support for testing Java applications (the “new”), as well enhanced support for “old” 3270 mainframe applications.

The IT world’s on-going clash between old and new hit home for Original earlier this year when the company unveiled better support

Some people watch car racing strictly for the high-speed accidents. (We know you’re out there.) Others take particular glee in seeing live performers melt down on stage. (You may be one.) When it comes to IT, there are equivalent debacles, but they’re normally shared in whispered tones after work at the local pub. Now, thanks to Aldon, which teased the worst sort of tales out of AS/400 developers in return for the chance to win prizes, IT Jungle readers get to hear some of them. And frankly, the stories do deliver. (Not that you’re into that kind of thing.)

In the hit action TV series “24,” government agent Jack Bauer is given exactly 24 hours to stop a terrorist attack. But what if, instead of thwarting the attack, Bauer was tasked with developing an enterprise Web application in less than a day’s time? That is what the folks at mrc have set upon themselves with the 24-Hour Challenge. The Chicago software company also added a new user defined function (UDF) capability to m-Power, its premier application development tool for i OS and other platforms.

As part of its 24-Hour Challenge, which was announced earlier this month, mrc promises to

Earlier this year, IBM launched something called the EGL Café to provide an interactive Web locale where people can learn more about its new development language. Last month, IBM gave developers of the RPG persuasion their very own electronic hideout with the launch of the RPG Café. What’s more, Big Blue even threw in a “hub” (sort of a mini café) for Rational Team Concert for i (RTCi), the new change management utility launched in November.

Rational Cafes are “connecting communities,” according to IBM’s homepage for Rational Cafes. Currently, there are three full-fledged cafes: One for EGL, one for

CA today unveiled a new release of Plex, its rapid application development environment that generates 3GL code for Windows, Java, and IBM i runtime environments. With Plex 6.1, the New York company adds support for Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Microsoft‘s Web services framework. Support for WCF enables Plex customers to mix and match Web services running on .NET and other platforms, thereby easing application integration efforts that span multiple platforms.

Plex and its close relative, 2E, are the direct descendents the Obsydian and Synon/2E 4GL development tools created by Simon Williams and his developers at Synon more than 20

The state of IT security appears to be on the decline as 2008 comes to a merciful close. Microsoft just issued a massive number of patches one week ago, but it’s the one patch that wasn’t issued–for a zero-day flaw discovered in IE 7 just days before–that ruins the batch. Meanwhile, the global economic crises plods on as cyber pirates continue to ramp up their online schemes–events which have combined to form what IBM labeled a “perfect storm” of security threats. Happy holidays!

Microsoft released eight security patches to resolve a total of 28 vulnerabilities last week, the final monthly

Rogers Plus, a chain of movie and video game rental stores in Canada, has turned over the managements of its Inovis EDI software to Inovis and its Inovisworks value added network (VAN), the vendor announced recently. Rogers Plus is expected to benefit through easier access to additional trading protocols as well as historic trading data, Inovis says.

Rogers Plus owns and operates more than 300 stores that offer movie and video game rentals and cell phone services, making it the second largest video chain in Canada. (Blockbuster is the first.) The company is the retail division of Rogers Cable, which

Companies concerned about the security of their MICR check printing operations may want to check out ACOM Solutions latest laser check printer. The printer–a modified Xerox Phaser 3250 printer–offers enhanced security features like a three-way switch and security card that can disable check printing, enabling it to be used as a standard laser printer.

ACOM’s new printer starts at $895 and is aimed at companies that need to print about 1,000 checks per month. What’s unique about the printer are the security features, such as the three-way switch that turns MICR on or off, or turns the printer off. Such

IBM and a team of Harvard university researchers launched a new initiative last week to develop and deliver power systems that utilize more efficient solar technology. The Clean Energy Project–the newest project to join the World Community Grid–seeks to tap into the computing power of millions of idle PCs and servers to crunch scientific data in the hopes of speeding the discovery of organic chemical compounds that have better electric properties than silicon, the main–but inefficient–ingredient in today’s solar panels.

Current silicon-based solar cells are only about 20 per cent efficient and cost about $3 per watt of electricity