Business Concern
Island Pacific's retail software solution is delivered on the AS/400 platform
and consists of 3.6 million lines of RPG legacy
code -- some of it 20 years old. In 1994, this code had been modernized to be
graphical, thanks to GUI/400, and all
workstation applications are now Web-enabled through IBM's Workstation Gateway.
But, these stop-gap measures weren't
a final solution. Paul Mickelsen, CEO of Island Pacific, and his team were feeling
the pressure to rewrite their
user-interface applications for a client/server environment, but Mickelsen strongly
resisted this work effort... occasionally
fending off the label of "laggard." His concerns were strong: The client/server
platform was proving to involve high costs,
high reliability risk, and high complexity. Just because client/server was the
fashionable technology of the day, Mickelsen did
not want to subject his customers to this "modern" solution. But what alternatives
were available?
Java and the Network Solution
The Network Station:
Mickelsen always liked the convenience of simply plugging in
additional terminals when a customer needed to support more
users -- a luxury that went away for those who ventured down
the client/server road. But, he admittedly liked the GUI
interface and speed of local processing that PCs provide. So,
IBM's Network Station seemed the perfect solution...
graphical, lots of local memory, and seriously fast communication
speeds with the server. What's more, after looking at
acquisition and support costs, the Network Station is one half to
one tenth the cost of a PC.
The Java Environment:
It is clear that any application redesign in today's technology
environment should be written in an object oriented language.
Java, an OO environment, is known for its ease of learning (since
it is similar to C++) and for its openness. But it could be
argued that Unix made the same promise of openness. Unfortunately,
there came to be so many vendor-versions of Unix
that its openness almost became a misnomer. Mickelsen believes that
Java will remain open (a.k.a., 100% pure Java)
because consumers of Java applications are the millions and millions
of Internet users, all of whom access the Internet via
many different platforms. This "consumer pull" will enforce absolute
conformity to Java standards.
Solution Synopsis
Application Rewrite:
I3, Island Pacific's family of retail products, is slated to be
rewritten in Java. Initial attention is being focused on
user-interface programs. With 15 programmers dedicated to the
Java rewrite, beta testing of the I3 Data Warehousing
module will begin in late 1997. General customer availability
is slated for the first quarter of 1998. Incidentally, Island Pacific
developers are delighted with the response and speed of the
Network Station, which they say "just glides through application
work, even demanding queries."
Software:
Sun Microsystem's Java Development Kit (JDK),
IBM's VisualAge for Java,
and
IBM's AS/400 Toolbox for Java
Benefits:
Customers will save significant acquisition and ongoing support
costs because of Network Stations.
Island Pacific will be able to deliver future enhancements at a
much reduced cost because of the ease of component
building with an object oriented language.
Ongoing support costs for Island Pacific (and for its customers) will be
reduced because of the cleaner, redesigned OO code.
How Does This Solution Apply to You?
If you are planning to rewrite your legacy applications, Java is
certainly worth a great deal of research. The AS/400
Division is putting huge resources into this new environment and
will be delivering a Java Virtual Machine in 1998. The
Network Station can also be a perfect companion to your new design
efforts because of the tremendous cost savings it offers.
Business Profile
Island Pacific has been delivering quality software solutions to the retail industry for 20 years. While its headquarters are
located in Irvine, California, Island Pacific also supports its worldwide client base from additional offices in London,
England.
Island Pacific's I3 family of retail products consists of merchandising and financial applications as well as attendant modules
such as gift registry, events tracking (sales and promotions), and store credit. Island Pacific is held in high regard by its
customers, who have described this provider relationship as an integral partnership.
Paul Michelsen, founder of Island Pacific, is well-respected within the industry. He was a speaker at a recent "AS/400
Worldwide Consultant's Briefing." He is also touring four U.S. cities later this year with News/400 Magazine as a key
speaker in its "AS/400 Java Summit" events.
For Additional Information
On its Web site, Island Pacific presents its very clear viewpoint on Java and AS/400. This "Why Java" presentation might
be of strong interest, so plan to visit it soon at
http://www.islandpacific.com.