System i Community

System i Developer endorses a wide range of other organizations that share our mission of building community, vitality, and learning among the designers and caretakers of System i software applications. Check below for resources you can put to use today.

• The RPG Redbook Diary
• Discussion Groups and Blogs
• IBM Info and Redbooks/Documentation
• News and Publications
• Our Favorite RPG/DB2 Conference
• User Groups
• Educators
• Free Tools

Discussion Groups and Blogs

Midrange.Com Mailing Lists
This site sponsors the most active discussion groups, providing access to mailing lists that can answer all of your questions about iSeries. Be sure to check out the Archives and the FAQ.

Angus the IT Chap
Opinions, comments, chat and the odd bit of fun from concerned members of the iSeries community - especially Angus! Visit it and see for yourself.

iDevelop
Inspiration, opinions and discussions with SiD's very own Jon Paris and Susan Gantner.

Young i Professionals
The Young i Professionals are an international group of technology professionals that represent all "young" entrants into the job market or "young" users of IBM i, iSeries, System i, and AS/400. See what young minds can bring to the platform!

RPG Café
The IBM site for all things RPG and RDi. As it says on the site "the place for RPG developers and IBM developers to mingle and discuss our favorite language. We'll talk about the language itself, its history, and its future. We will discuss the tools that support it and the directions they are taking. We hope this is a lively area of the Web."

IBM Info and Redbooks/Documentation

System i (i5, iSeries and AS/400) Home Page
For all the IBM information pertaining to System i.

System i Information Center
For all System i documentation. A lot of valuable information can be found in the Red Books section.

Redbooks
Redbooks provide an excellent source for additional information on all sorts of topics. Make sure you check out Who Knew You Could Do That with RPG IV? A Sorcerer's Guide to System Access and More.

WDSC Development Team
News, Views and Directions on WebSphere Development Studio Client

News and Publications

IBM Systems Magazine
iSeries Experts Journal
System i Network
IT Jungle
MC Press Online / RPG Developer
Search400.com

Our Favorite RPG/DB2 Conference

RPG & DB2 Summit
The Summit offers a new conference experience focused solely on the RPG and DB2 skills you need for your daily work. Not Java, not Domino, not System Administration - just the very latest and greatest in practical RPG and DB2 education that you can apply as soon as you return to the office. All condensed into an intensive three day learning experience.

User Groups

COMMON
COMMON is the world's largest user group of IBM midrange users, and they organize a number of System i educational events during the year. The four leaders of the System i Developer consortium speak frequently at COMMON events, and they've won numerous Speaker Excellence awards.

COMMON Europe
Check the web site for details of the annual European convention.

Local User Groups
You may also want to locate a local user group near you.

Educators

Partner400
The home page for Jon Paris and Susan Gantner - educators, consultants, mentors and gurus for RPG and ILE.

ComCon Computer Consultants
ComCon, led by Paul Touhy, is a leading provider of System i (i5, iSeries and AS/400) training, education and consultancy.

Scott Klement
Scott's award-winning web site contains many excellent tutorials relating to RPG - especially his tutorial on Sockets and TCP programming.

IBM Academic Initiative for System i
The IBM Academic Initiative for System i provides colleges and universities with educational resources to help students develop practical skills which are in great demand. An education that includes System i skills will increase students' opportunity to get a good job upon graduation in a fast growing System i career.

TechNow Educational Program
Designed by South Central College and IBM's Academic Alliance, TechNow is a collaborative effort between schools and industry to get young people excited about careers in technology. The TechNow site offers several open source tools, including a program roadmap and materials for the TechNow Summer Camp, to organizations interested in starting a local program.

Free Tools

Easy400 (including CGIDEV2)
This is the home of CGI WEB development tools for iSeries, free tools from IBM that enable RPG and COBOL programmers to develop full-functional e-business solutions by simply exploiting their current skills. This is the fastest way for RPG and COBOL programmers to become "web savvy".

Externalize Database Processing in RPG
This free download provides a starting point if you want to explore the process of externalizing database processing.

RPG Chart Engine
Generate pie charts, bar graphs and more right from your RPG using simple ILE calls!

RPGMAILv2
RPGMAILv2 is a set of RPG sub procedures that utilize the JavaMail API's from Sun to send emails with ease from your iSeries RPG program without limitations on the amount of addresses or attachments that can be used within the email.

RSE Extensions
This free download provides several useful plug-ins to make your WDSC workspace more productive. Access spooled file output, System i messages, dual source editing windows, and more without leaving the WDSC environment.

Subversion for OS/400
This port of the award-winning open source version control tool, Subversion, runs natively on the iSeries to help you manage XML, Java, .NET, or any other non-traditional source code.

Tools400
A great collection of Freeware tools from Thomas Raddatz. From utilities like Compare Message File and Export Journal entries to a service program for Dynamic Screen Management, as well as code snippets such as prototypes for some C functions.

WDSC Keyboard Shortcuts
This useful PDF download contains System i Developer's favorite WDSC keyboard shortcuts.