Python for VB6 programmers (was Re: Complexity of standard Python data structures)

[Andy Jewell]

On Thursday 17 Apr 2003 5:27 am, Parzival Herzog wrote:
> "Aahz" <aahz at pythoncraft.com> wrote in message
> news:b7kqr8$jsq$1 at panix2.panix.com...
>
> > In article <Wrena.33096$T34.876856 at news2.tin.it>,
> >
> > Alex Martelli  <aleax at aleax.it> wrote:
> > >Steve Holden wrote:
> > >> You'd do better to call it "Python for VB programmers", expecially
> > >> since the change to VB6 is so radical that migrating to a new and more
> > >> sensible language might be an attractive option to some!
>
> Maybe when you're done that, you could do "Python for RPG/400"
>
>      H*
>      H* RPG/400 VERSION OF THE BOTTLES PROGRAM *
>      H*
>      FSCREEN  O   F      80            WORKSTN
>      C                     MOVE 100       X       30
>      C           X         DOWGE0
>      C                     EXCPT
>      C                     SUB  1         X
>      C                     END
>      C                     SETON                     LR
>      OSCREEN  E
>      O                         X          3
>      O                                   26 'BOTTLES OF BEER ON THE'
>      O                                   31 'WALL,'
>      O                         X         36
>      O                                   53 'BOTTLES OF BEER'
>      O        E
>      O                                   22 'TAKE ONE DOWN AND PASS'
>      O                                   32 'IT AROUND'
>
> P.S. Can you believe it, at version 400 kicks at the can, they came up with
> this?
>
> Parzival

Hmmm...

When I look at Python compared to RPG now (after a little AS/400 training - my 
RPG course is the week after next) I begin to see that RPG is not as ugly as 
I at first thought.  It's worse than that - it's practically assembler code, 
but without the mnemonics! :-P .  What HAVE I let myself in for?

I'll take this to my course and throw it round a bit to see the reaction...

It's a pity I can't recode our legacy apps at work in Python/400 - I have 
toyed with it, but it's impractical to rewrite nearly 15 years of coding 
strata, with its roots in System 36 RPG, in Python...

It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it.  

regards, 
-andyj