Eating the Elephant

 

At conferences, during classes and often in our email there's one statement/question that we get asked over and over: "I know I've let my skills get rusty, I know there's a huge list of things I should learn, but where do I start? It is all so overwhelming."

It is a good question, but the answer is really quite simple. When faced with the task of eating an elephant there is only one way to deal with it--one bite at a time.

But there's a problem with that basic premise. With an elephant, of course, there are at least some obvious potential starting points. Nibble your way up from the tail, or gnaw your way from the tip of the trunk, just for starters. With the type of list most of the questioners are faced with, however, the choices are not quite so obvious. SQL, XML, Web services, mobile apps, HTML, CSS, Javascript, Ruby, etc. Where to start?

To an extent it depends on where you are right now, and whether your current job is steering you in a specific direction. Of course if the latter is the case, the answer is probably a lot more obvious. By "where you are right now" we are talking specifically talking about your RPG skills. For example, if you have yet to embrace the use of subprocedures as a way of life-- not just for reusable components but as a vehicle for structuring your programs--then that is clearly an area that you need to address.

But perhaps the choice is actually easier than that? We think we could make an argument that your first step should be to learn a new language. After all, if you haven't got your head around subprocedures yet then perhaps it is because, like many others, you simply can't see the point. You've managed with subroutines and dynamically called programs for years - why bother to change? Our good friend George Farr often recounts that when people tell him how much they enjoyed his "Java for RPG Programmers" book, he frequently asks if they are doing much Java programming. The answer is invariably the same "No, but it made a huge difference to the way I code RPG!"

Java is, of course, a perfectly valid language to learn, as indeed are Ruby (now available for IBM i) and Python among others. But as we've stated many times, we still feel that PHP is the best choice for most RPG programmers. Why? Because you can use it as a procedural language and gently ease your way into object-oriented (OO) programming without have to totally rewire your brain. We know that many reading this will say that learning to program in OO is easy; why the big deal? We're happy for you. We really are. But personally we have not found that to be the case. As Jon has often publicly stated, "I consider myself to be a failed Java programmer." He learned the syntax and can write and read Java code but doesn't _think_ in OO terms. Slowly but surely PHP is helping to remedy that situation. It also also improved his RPG!

Regardless of your choice of language, we want to make one clear cut recommendation. Sign up with Learnable. It is our go-to resource for all new technologies. Learnable offer books and online classes in everything from PHP to Ruby and HTML to Javascript and mobile app development. At $29 a month (or $15 a month if you sign up for a year), it is a bargain basement way to jump start your new skills. That membership gives you access to their entire library plus the ability to download two books a month. Considering most technical books are $40 and up that is worth the price alone. As a minimum sign up for the mailing list where an introductory price of $99 per year is offered from time to time.

So, don't delay: take your first bite!

P.S., while researching the origin of the elephant idea we came upon Mikki's blog and her post on this topic. It has nothing to do with computers, but those of you who feel overwhelmed in your personal lives and professional lives may find it an interesting read.