Systems evolution needs to be a constant effort. The new Redbook entitled Modernize IBM i Applications from the Database up to the User Interface and Everything in Between is a must-read for every IBM i developer.
Written by Steve Pitcher
125,000 years ago, scientists believe that a group of brown bears (ursus arctos) were isolated from their ancestors and began to evolve into a separate subspecies: what we know as the modern polar bear. Over many generations, the descendants of these bears evolved and inherited the trait of a white, thicker coat—ideal protection and camouflage in the snow and ice, making the bear more successful to hunt and kill prey. The molar teeth and digestive system of the polar bear also changed over time, adapting to the demands of a new diet of seal meat rather than plants and berries. Their stomachs changed to accommodate larger and unexpected amounts of food, taking advantage of a big kill and allowing them to survive on it for weeks at a time during months when food wasn't plentiful. Their necks grew much longer than the modern brown bear, making it easier to keep their heads above water when swimming and when reaching into the sea from the ice to catch food from above. The forepaws grew larger in order to operate like paddles in the water.