texAS400 Computer Consulting - RPG & COBOL Programming

Keep Your AS/400

You will hear many myths about your AS/400
Here are some bad arguments for migrating away from your i5-iSeries-AS/400

The AS/400 is obsolete. It was introduced in 1989. It's old technology.
The AS/400 (now called the i5 or iSeries) product is younger than the PC. Like the PC, it has had continuous hardware and software improvements. This is like refusing to use PC's because they were introduced in the 1970's and had slow 16-BIT processors and only 64K of memory.

We are a modern company. We want to use new, modern technology.
All new technologies are based on older technology. As noted before, the iSeries IS new technology.

I'm told that AS/400's use old computer languages like RPG and Cobol.
That's true. RPG-ILE and Cobol-ILE date back to earlier versions from the 1960's. But Microsoft's Visual Basic, ASP and .NET languages are really just updated versions of BASIC which also dates back to the 1960's. C++, C# and Java are all updates of C which also dates back to the 1960's.
In fact, both Java and RPG-ILE were created in 1995!

We want internet applications. AS/400's can't do that.
Sure they can. Click here to see a very simple Customer Update running on this iSeries.

It's hard to access AS/400's over the internet.
Not really. Click here to start an iSeries session on this iSeries This is one of many ways to connect to an AS/400 - iSeries - i5.

You have to buy expensive software to run internet applications.
No. The Customer Update program and iSeries sessions above were written WITHOUT ANY EXTRA SOFTWARE. My iSeries also can automatically zip data files and EMAIL them. It also automatically downloads and uploads data using the internet file transfer protocol (FTP). All this without extra software.

AS/400's are expensive.
In the past, they were a little expensive to buy new.
Click here to see how inexpensive they are now
(You'll want to add about $2,800.00 of software)

They are inexpensive to own.

We want to use mainstream technology used by successful companies.
You're in pretty good company. Here is a partial list of companies that use AS/400-iSeries:
Many Casinos in Nevada and N.J. (Harrahs, Ameristar Casinos, American Casino, Boyd Gaming, Borgata Casino, Table Mountain Casino)
AAFES
Adidas
Affiliated Computer (ACS)
AIG Insurance
Alcoa Inc
Alcon Laboratories
All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon)
Allied Waste
Ashley Furniture
Bally Technologies
Bass Pro Shops
Bed Bath and Beyond
Blockbuster Video
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
Brinks Home Security
Brooks Brothers
Brookstone
Cabela Outfitters
Cardell Kitchen Cabinets
Cardinal Health
Cargill
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia
Citigroup
Coldwater Creek
Competitive Cyclist
ConAgra Foods
Costco Wholesale
Countrywide Mortgage
Cox Communications
Dick's Sporting Goods
Discount Tire
Dean Foods
Dolby Laboratories
Dollar General
E & J Gallo Winery
Eaton Corp
EDS
FedEx Ground
Gamestop
Guitar Center
Harley-Davidson Motor Co
Harte-Hanks
Home Depot
Honeywell Aerospace
hotels.com
International Truck
Jos A Bank Clothiers
Linens n Things
LL Bean
Lockheed Martin
Major League Baseball (www.mlb.com)
Massachusetts Eye and Ear - a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School
Mervyns
Midway Amusement Games (Video Games)
Missouri Farm Bureau
Motel 6
Mrs Fields Cookies (also owns TCBY, Pretzeltime)
NBC Universal (the TV / Movie company)
Nintendo of America
Nordstrom Retail
O'Charleys Restaurants
Pacific Sunwear
Palm Harbor Homes
Penske Truck Leasing
Pepsico
Perot Systems
Pilgrims Pride
Pizza Inn
PC Connection (PC computer sales)
Polo Ralph Lauren
Proctor and Gamble
Ricoh Electronics
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Sally Beauty
Sammons Trucking
Sbarro Restaurant
ScottTrade Inc
Sonic Drive-In
Suddenlink Communications
Staples
State Farm Insurance
Superior Air
Time Warner Cable
Transplace
TransWorld Entertainment
Travelers Insurance
Trump Entertainment Resorts
Turtle Wax, Inc
Union Bank of California
Wachovia Corporation
Walgreens
Yellow Book USA

Our old AS/400 programs can't be maintained. Our original programmers are gone.
AS/400 programs are almost always maintainable by competent iSeries programmers. If the programs are on your system, I can almost certainly upgrade and maintain them.

Our previous programmers didn't document anything. Are you sure you can work with our programs ?
Almost certainly.

It wouldn't cost too much to replace our existing computer system with a PC based system.
The biggest expensive of migrating to a new system is the disruption in your daily business operations. With a different system, EVERYONE will have to learn how to do their job differently. It will be months before the turmoil, disruption and anguish subsides. Many reports will simply disappear because "the new system doesn't do that".
I saw a company that converted to a new system. It was considered a good day if the customer service manager didn't break out in tears. Really.

By the way, I recently saw an IBM V.P. give a presentation on all the
new java systems that will run on the i5-iSeries-AS/400 (yes, iSeries runs Java too).

He started the presentation with the joke:

What is the definition of a legacy system ?
Answer: One that works.

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