The AS/400 (now called the IBM i or iSeries) product is younger than the PC.
Like the PC, it has had continuous hardware and software improvements.
Version 8.1 was just announced around May 2014.
Your iSeries can host dynamic web pages and web services.
It can run PHP, Perl, Java, and Ruby on Rails.
I'm told that AS/400's use old computer languages like RPG and Cobol.
That's true.
RPG-ILE and Cobol-ILE date back to earlier versions from the 1960's.
But Microsoft's Visual Basic, ASP and .NET languages are really just
updated versions of BASIC which also dates back to the 1960's.
C++, C# and Java are all updates of C from the 1960's.
in fact, both Java and RPG-ILE were created in 1995!
And as noted above, you can also use PHP, Perl, Java, and Ruby on Rails.
We want internet applications. AS/400's can't do that.
Sure they can.
Click here to see a demo Shopping Cart web page running on this iSeries.
iSeries-AS/400's also run Java and PHP.
It's hard to access AS/400's over the internet.
Not really.
Click here to install a plug-in to Internet Explorer to
start an SSL encrypted iSeries session on this iSeries
This is one of many ways to connect to an AS/400 - iSeries - IBM i
You have to buy expensive software to run internet applications.
No.
The Shopping Cart program and iSeries sessions above
were written WITHOUT ANY EXTRA SOFTWARE.
My iSeries also can automatically zip data files and EMAIL them.
It also automatically downloads and uploads data
using the internet file transfer protocol (FTP).
All this without extra software.
AS/400's are expensive.
Not anymore. They are price competitive with Windows solutions.
$15,000 will get a platform big enough to run a $100 Million
distribution or manufacturing company.
Application software is not included. There are lots of options.
We want to use mainstream technology used by successful companies.
You're in pretty good company.
Here is a partial list of companies that use AS/400-iSeries:
Many Casinos in Nevada and N.J. (Harrahs, Ameristar Casinos, American Casino,
Boyd Gaming, Borgata Casino, Table Mountain Casino)
AAFES
Ace Cash Express
Adidas
Affiliated Computer (ACS)
AIG Insurance
Air Wisconsin Airlines
Alcoa Inc
Alcon Laboratories
All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon)
Allied Waste
Allstate
Amarillo Pathology
America's Health Insurance Plans (www.ahip.ord)
Amway
APS Medical Billing, Toldeo OH
Ashley Furniture
Bally Technologies
Bank of America
Bass Pro Shops
Beall's (the clothing stores)
Bed Bath and Beyond
Bell County, Texas
Bill Levkoff (www.billlevkoff.com)
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC
Brinks Home Security
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Sports, Inc.
Brookstone
Buckle (www.buckle.com)
Cabela Outfitters
California Steel Industries
Camping World
Cardell Kitchen Cabinets
Cardinal Health
Cargill
Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia
Chespeake Energy
Choctah Nation
Cincinnati Bell
Citigroup
Citizen Watch Company
City of Henderson, Kentucky
City of Lewisville, Texas
City of McKinney, Texas
City of Plano, Texas
Coldwater Creek
Cole-Parmer Instrument Co
Collin County, Texas
Competitive Cyclist (www.competitivecyclist.com)
ConAgra Foods
Costco Wholesale
Countrywide Mortgage
Cox Communications
CVS Pharmacies
Dell Perot Systems
Dick's Sporting Goods
Discount Tire
Dean Foods
Dolby Laboratories
Dollar General
Dollar Tree Stores
E & J Gallo Winery
Eaton Corp
EDS
Enterprise Rent a Car
Enterprise Fleet Management
Federal Express (FedEx)
FGX International
Firemen's Fund Insurance
FlexSteel, Dubuque Iowa
Follet Higher Education
Foot Locker
Fox Networks (the TV network)
Frontier Communications
Gamestop
GE Capital
GNC (www.GNC.com)
Godiva Chocolatier
Goodyear Tire
Grand Circle Travel
Great Lakes Energy
Green Tree Credit Solutions
Guitar Center
Guttman Energy, PA
Hal Leonard Music Publishing
Hardin Furniture
Harley-Davidson Motor Co
Harte-Hanks
Hertz Corporation
Heyco Products (www.heyco.com)
Hibbitt Sports
Home Depot
Honeywell Aerospace
hotels.com
Hutchinson Sealing Systems
Indian River Medical Center
International Truck
Johnson Brothers Liquor, Minnesota
Jos A Bank Clothiers
Kansas Turnpike Authority
Knight Transporation
Krispy Kream Doughnut Corp
Landstar System Inc
Lantheus Medical Imaging, Boston
Legal Shield
Levy Home Entertainment
Liberty Mutual Group
Linens n Things
Little League International (www.littleleague.org)
LL Bean
Lockheed Martin
Major League Baseball (www.mlb.com)
Massachusetts Eye and Ear - a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School
Mervyns
Metlife
Midway Amusement Games (Video Games)
Missouri Farm Bureau
Mohawk Industries (www.mohawkflooring.com)
Motel 6
Mrs Fields Cookies (also owns TCBY, Pretzeltime)
Nationstar Mortgage
NBC Universal (the TV / Movie company)
New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc
Nintendo of America
Nordstrom Retail
O'Charleys Restaurants
Oriental Trading Company
Pacific Sunwear
Palm Harbor Homes
Pan Am Railways, Massachusetts
Panda Restaurant Group
Parlux Fragrances
Penske Truck Leasing
Pepsico
Performance Inc (bicycle retailer)
Petzl America (the rock climbing folks in Utah)
PharMerica - 2nd largest institutional pharmacy in US
Pilgrims Pride
Pizza Inn
PC Connection (PC computer sales)
Polaris Wireless
Polo Ralph Lauren
Presision Castparts Corp www.precast.com
Proctor and Gamble
Randa Accessories (www.randa.net)
Ricoh Electronics
Roadrunner Transportation Systems
Roto-Rooter Group
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Ryder
rue21
Rug Doctor
Sally Beauty
Sammons Trucking
Sbarro Restaurant
ScottTrade Inc
Seiko Corp of America
Shanendoah Furniture
Sonic Drive-In
Staples
State Farm Insurance
StoneRiver - National Flood Services
Suddenlink Communications
Swenson Spreader www.swensonproducts.com
Texas Book Company
Tillys (retail in Califormia)
Time Warner Cable
Tire Rack (www.tirerack.com)
Transplace
TransWorld Entertainment
Travelers Insurance
Trinitas Regional Medical Center, NJ
Trump Entertainment Resorts
Turtle Wax, Inc
Union Bank of California
Universal Hospital Services in Delaware
United Health Group
United Rentals, Inc.
US Foods
Wachovia Corporation
Walgreens
Warren County of Ohio
Webb County of Texas
Welchs Food (grape juice and jelly)
Windstream Communications
Yellow Book USA
Our old AS/400 programs can't be maintained. Our original programmers are gone.
AS/400 programs are almost always maintainable by competent
iSeries programmers.
If the programs are on your system, I can almost certainly upgrade and maintain them.
Our previous programmers didn't document anything. Are you sure you can work with our programs ?
Almost certainly.
It wouldn't cost too much to replace our existing computer system with a PC based system.
The biggest expense of migrating to a new system is the disruption in
your daily business operations. With a different system, EVERYONE will have to learn
how to do their job differently.
It will be months before the turmoil, disruption and anguish subsides.
Many reports will simply disappear because "the new system doesn't do that".
I saw a company that converted to a new system.
It was considered a good day if the customer service manager didn't
break out in tears. Really.
By the way, I recently saw an IBM V.P. give a presentation on all the
new java systems that will run on the IBM i-iSeries-AS/400 (yes, iSeries runs Java too).
He started the presentation with the joke:
What is the definition of a legacy system ?
Answer: One that works.