Each IBMi User Knows They Run the Most Efficient System. All Others Just Have Too Much Money

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Each IBMi User Knows They Run the Most Efficient System. All Others Just Have Too Much Money.



Let's take a moment to ponder this thought-provoking and slightly provocative motto:

Each IBMi user knows they run the most efficient system. All others just have too much money.

I can't take credit for this line—I read it somewhere a while ago, and unfortunately, I don’t know who the original author is. Nonetheless, it's a statement that resonates with many of us in the IBM i community. 


But is this motto still relevant today?

With advancements in technology and the rise of various competing platforms, some might argue that the landscape has changed. Others might say that IBM i remains unparalleled in terms of reliability, efficiency, and total cost of ownership. So, why not take a 5-minute break, grab a coffee, and let's discuss this!


Why IBM i Users Swear by It

IBM i has long been known for its rock-solid stability, security, and seamless integration capabilities. Many businesses running mission-critical applications have relied on IBM i for decades, trusting it to handle their operations without a hitch. For these users, IBM i isn't just an efficient system—it's the backbone of their enterprise.


The Other Side of the Coin

On the flip side, critics often point out that IBM i is a legacy system, suggesting that it's less adaptable to modern technologies compared to newer platforms. They argue that investing in more contemporary systems can bring flexibility, scalability, and innovation, albeit often at a higher cost.


Let's Discuss!

So, what do you think? Is this motto still a badge of honor for IBM i users, or is it a relic of the past? How does IBM i compare with other systems in today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world? 


Take a few minutes to share your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s have a friendly discussion about the strengths, weaknesses, and future of IBM i. After all, sometimes the best insights come from a bit of light-hearted debate among friends.




Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 21, 2024 at 4:44 PM

    In my experience in Spain, AS/400 (or IBM i if you prefer) is a solid-rock architecture, but 80% of the systems in midde shaped companies use it with RPG or COBOL applications, and then they use HATS, or Webgate to modernize the look and feel of user interface. The other 20% is used as a DB2 core backend and access rely on JDBC with Websphere/Tomcat middleware or ODBC to BI apps like Cognos, etc. We tried to "modernize" newer apps using PASE and newer programming languages, using RESTfull apps, python, etc, but we had faced two caveats: First, and this is not argueable, PASE and open system is a two or three step behing the current state of the art technology, that is, if a new technology is the new and most used, we need to wait 3 or 5 years to get to the AS/400. For example, there's no Kubernetes technology inside PASE, nor Docker, and Gitlab. The second caveat is that the adoption of new technology compared to the legacy, ruins the high availability and the solid rock architecture that let AS/400 become famous, and generates more dumps, errors and indiponibility, breaking the 6 "niner" rule of availability. In my 25 years of experience, A program coded in RPG or COBOL runs much more efficiently that a program compiled in JAVA or python in this particular example, so the general rule in backend systems is continuing coding in RPG or COBOL languages, that can be called from Webservices REST or newer APIs. Its is sad to read, but it's a fact.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aldo SUCCISeptember 21, 2024 at 6:03 PM

      Thank you for your contribution! I appreciate your perspective and the interesting points you brought to the discussion. Feel free to share more thoughts anytime!

      Delete

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