Python has been gaining momentum for building utility applications on IBM i, such as creating/reading Excel files, data transfer, process automation, calling REST APIs such as Salesforce and ServiceNow, and application monitoring.
Although some have said that Python would become the “new CL,” one limitation remains. While Python can easily call CL, RPG, and COBOL programs, calls in the other direction—from CL, RPG or COBOL to Python—required extra effort.
In this post we will introduce you to the PYRUN command, from Richard Schoen’s open source PythonOniLibrary (https://github.com/richardschoen/PythonOniLibrary), which makes it easy for traditional CL and RPG programs to call Python utilities and use their output. Read more →
Update on Free, Open PHP for IBM i
/0 Comments/in PHP /by Alan SeidenWe’ve seen excellent results with the open PHP package, known as an RPM. Starting with the PHP repository provided by IBM and Zend (Perforce) as a base, we are able to optimize PHP for the needs of each IBM i shop.
Especially appealing to us and our clients: this PHP is 64-bit and leans toward open standards, including ODBC. In exchange for a bit of setup time, you’ll have a system that’s lightweight, flexible, and license-free.
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Solving IBM i Skills & Knowledge Transfer Challenges
/0 Comments/in Announcements, CIO Strategy /by Amy LantzAt the CIO Summit in Dallas, March 23, 2020, Heidi will share her experience with collaborative learning and other techniques that aid generational change and find untapped potential within development teams.
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Free and Open PHP on IBM i
/2 Comments/in IBM i, PHP /by Alan SeidenOur friends at IBM and Zend (now Perforce) have packaged a bare-bones PHP edition for customers who want PHP but don’t feel they need to purchase the extra tools of Zend Server.
I’ll share what our open source experts at Seiden Group have learned as we’ve installed and optimized both traditional Zend Server and “open” PHP for our customers.
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Education and Service Vouchers for Power Systems and IBM i
/0 Comments/in Announcements, IBM i /by Alan SeidenWhy? According to Brandon Pederson, Worldwide IBM i Product Marketing Manager, “Vouchers are designed to help you more fully understand and use the advanced features and capabilities of Power Systems.”
For example, a client of ours received two days of free consulting from IBM Lab Services to resolve a knotty CCSID (encoding) problem.
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Five Reasons We Use Git to Manage IBM i Source Code
/0 Comments/in Git /by Alan SeidenRead more →
Gartner Questions ROI of Replacing Traditional IBM Platforms
/0 Comments/in CIO Strategy, IBM i /by Alan SeidenIn Considering Leaving Legacy IBM Platforms? Beware, as Cost Savings May Disappoint, While Risking Quality, analysts Thomas Klinect and Mike Chuba of Gartner, Inc., warn against the tendency to make so-called legacy systems “a convenient scapegoat for corporate issues with technology.” Instead, they recommend a scientific approach to modernization without preconceived ideas.
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Integrate Python into CL and RPG on IBM i
/0 Comments/in Open Source, Python /by Alan SeidenAlthough some have said that Python would become the “new CL,” one limitation remains. While Python can easily call CL, RPG, and COBOL programs, calls in the other direction—from CL, RPG or COBOL to Python—required extra effort.
In this post we will introduce you to the PYRUN command, from Richard Schoen’s open source PythonOniLibrary (https://github.com/richardschoen/PythonOniLibrary), which makes it easy for traditional CL and RPG programs to call Python utilities and use their output. Read more →
Liam Allan Joins Seiden Group
/0 Comments/in Announcements, Open Source /by Alan SeidenThose who have had the pleasure of working with Liam know that his energy and intelligence are only the beginning of what he has to offer. He also possesses exceptional skill AND the depth of understanding required to turn his ideas into reality.
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Free encryption for Node.js on IBM i
/0 Comments/in IBM i, Open Source, Web development /by Alan SeidenIn the last few years, Let’s Encrypt has earned the thanks of technology professionals. Let’s Encrypt, a CA run for the public’s benefit, offers certificates at no charge, along with scripts to generate and regenerate certificates as needed, reducing the effort of keeping certificates up to date, and keeping sites secure.
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CIO Summit Features DB2 for i Briefing with IBM’s Scott Forstie
/0 Comments/in CIO Strategy, db2, IBM i, iSeries, System i /by Alan SeidenScott Forstie (left) with Alan Seiden at a previous CIO Summit
In recent years, Db2 for i Business Architect Scott Forstie and his team have rapidly strengthened the IBM i database, improving the sophistication of its SQL query engine, and adding to its galaxy of IBM i services. What’s more, they have several years’ worth of new enhancements in the pipeline.
CIOs and IT Directors can meet Scott at the CIO Summit on March 25, 2019, Charlotte, North Carolina, for an IBM i strategy briefing.
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