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How is an organization or an ISV supposed to keep up in these challenging times?

mark_duignan.jpgBy Mark Duignan

The IBM Power System marketplace is in decline.

 

Some in the IBM i user community petition and plead with IBM to "market the IBM i server" so that it is acceptable within their organizations. However, the level of IBM marketing is not the real problem. Most IBM i users got involved with the platform simply because their organizations purchased an ISV solution that executed on it (e.g., BPCS, MAPICS). No matter how much they love the IBM i hardware and OS now, the marketplace was built by ISV solutions, not by the wonderful iSeries hardware/OS combination.

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Attend the Help/Systems User Conference for Computer Operations.

tom_huntington.gifBy Tom Huntington

Do you find it difficult to obtain good computer operations education? When was the last time you had the opportunity to network with other computer operations analysts? Do you feel your team has kept up with the latest in computer operations software and hardware?

 

As computer systems evolve, it becomes harder and harder to keep up with the ever-changing world of managing them. The technology has changed dramatically, and the strategies that worked 10 years ago no longer apply. Ask yourself if you're operating in a similar mode year after year. Or is your team executing more and more procedures manually since regulations like SOX and PCI have cropped up?

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Old habits can be hard to break, but sometimes it's worth the effort.

By Susan Gantner

Are you as productive in your programming as you could be? If you're still using the same toolset you used five or 10 (or more) years ago (i.e., PDM, SEU, SDA, and a green-screen debugger), then almost certainly not. Maybe it's time you gave some modern tools a try.

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Easily set up open-source software Planet to consolidate your favorite RSS news feeds into one local news source.

By Max Hetrick

Do you get tired of visiting dozens of Web site feeds to get your daily IT news? Do you receive too many email messages from mailing lists? Or do you just want to set up a news site for internal IT use? This TechTip will show you how to use the Planet RSS feed reader to consolidate your news and informational feeds.

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Use software to enforce rest breaks, preventing pain and injury.

by Alan Seiden

In my previous article, "Prevent Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) with Rest Breaks," I told you that rest breaks—even 20-second "microbreaks"—could help you avoid injuries associated with computer use. If you're like me, though, you already know you should take breaks, yet you struggle to unglue your eyes from the screen.

 

That's where break-reminder software comes in. These programs wake you up when you've fallen into a computer trance, reminding you to get up and stretch. In this article, I'll show how to protect your health and comfort with these surprisingly powerful programs.

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If you want to know how SOA works in the real world, this is your book.

By Phil Law

There's a lot of hype and fanfare surrounding service-oriented architecture (SOA), but the authors of SOA for the Business Developer have obviously gotten their hands dirty participating in real-world SOA projects. The content of their book reflects that experience.

 

They begin by pointing out the simple truth that "SOA includes ideas that have been around for decades." Comparing and contrasting new concepts with old, familiar software design principles quickly brings the reader up to speed with the overarching principles of SOA.

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MC Press Online is pleased to announce the launch of its completely new Web site designed to help System i professionals be more productive on the job and get more out of their career. Rest assured that the site still contains all of the content and features that you've come to expect, but it now also offers several powerful enhancements you're sure to find extremely useful:

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Quit whining about the fact that your company isn't educating you. Educate yourself!

As I write this article, I realize that this will be the final installment in MC Press Online's iApplication Designer for 2007. I can't believe that 2007 is almost history! Traditionally, the last column of a year is used for reflection. And who am I to flout tradition?

 

I'll soon be celebrating another birthday, one that puts me within spitting range of the half-century mark. I haven't had the fabled mid-life crises (yet), but that hasn't stopped me from having the physical manifestations that age brings: the receding hairline and expanding waistline. I have come to the stunning revelation that I now have been working in the computer field for over half of my life and I really enjoy it. I'd like to think that I'm going to be able to retire in the field. To that end, I take three simple steps: I try to eat right, I try to get enough rest and exercise, and I try to keep my skills current—all with varying degrees of success. While the first two revolve around quality-of-life issues, your skill set is what keeps you marketable. You have to keep up-to-date if you want a long, successful career.

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