HTML support in RPG?

Someone posted a note on linkedin.com wishing that RPG could produce HTML as easily as it can the 5250 data stream.  Funny enough, HTML support was added to DDS back in about 1996 (I don't remember what release of OS/400) but its there.  It required the use of a facility called the "Workstation Gateway" which was never popular, but it was certainly available. 

This was never a popular solution as it was extremely restricted in its capabilities, lacked JavaScript support and mainly because RPG developers were not willing to learn HTML.

Comments like this are typical of the current generation of RPG Programmer (the majority, not the few really good people).  It points out three key issues:

1. These folks are not willing to learn anything new unless their company offers it between 8 to 5 and does so in a conference room at their office.
2. These folks will never buy a book with their own money and lift a finger to learn something on their own time.
3. Even given the training by their company, they will resist change and argue that this new web stuff is not as good or important as their good old 5250 interface. 

Someone commented in the same thread about IBM's push for Java and WebSphere.  They also said that the Apache server was on Linux.  Well folks get a grip.  The Apache HTTP server has been shipped with OS/400 and now IBM i since 1996 when it replaced the native IBM HTTP server.  This provides pure HTML support with a CGI interface that allows you to call RPG, COBOL, or any other program that runs on IBM i. 

If you want to use Java and don't want to spend a fortune on WebSphere you can install the free open source Tomcat server from Apache.org. 

If you want state of the art web development and the ability to call RPG or any other program on your IBM i machine use PHP.  Its free, and can be learned by most people in less than a week.  There are addon's to PHP like JQuery that give you full interactive Ajax support and thousands of free applications you can download, use or customize.  That includes everything from complete eCommerce systems with shopping cart and credit/debit payment support to dozens of industry specific applications. 

I was not a big fan of PHP when IBM introduced it on the iSeries.  I don't think much of the language from a technical standpoint, but...  It is enormously popular and runs on virtually every web server under the sun.  It is also available as part of virtually every web hosting package. 

I use it on my own web site that I pay about $120 per year to Network Solutions for.  Go figure.  It includes all of the software I need plus mySQL with a huge allocation of disk storage. 

While I am certain that IBM will withdraw IBM i as a supported operating system when the support revenues reach IBM's magic number (less than 5 years IMHO), I was a huge advocate of using the iSeries for eBusiness and it is an emensely capable machine.

This constant crying from RPG types who probably don't use the features of RPG IV is extremely annoying.  The OS (IBM i) provides robust support for just about any type of modern web application you can dream up.  Are your people smart enough to use it? 

This was my pet peeve both as a customer and as an IBM'r!  Most IBM i customers have no clue what the system can do.  We hear the same old same old BS about RPG this and DDS that.  How many shops even used the incredible built-in error handling or message processing support? 

HTML support for RPG?  Well guess what!  HTML support embedded in DDS has been their since at least 1996!  Try reading a manual once in a while or at least the memo to users when IBM announces a new release...