Hi all,

        I'm looking for a little help here.  After hp decided to kill
(murder) the  3k, I set about deciding where to go from that point in my
career.  I played around a bit with some Posix stuff on the 3k, but
really didn't get anywhere.  As I looked about me at the failures of
moving from the 3k to .NET, JAVA, VB, heaven-knows-what-else, I thought
that after some initial wasting years of millions of dollars on these
trendy-new-toys, that shops would begin to look back at ERP solutions
and possibly the AS400 (now called the iseries).  Soooo, I set out
taking classes in the various RPG languages, OS400, CLP and a host of
other AS400 specific classes, so I could be of value when corporate
America came to its senses.

        While taking all of these classes on the iseries I learned two
distinct things - A). The AS400 does have some really cool/fun stuff,
(and yes, it has some quirks, too).  B). Corporate America isn't going
to stop spending time and money on .NET, JAVA, VB,
heaven-knows-what-else to move to mature solutions (and people) on the
AS400.

        Ok, lessons have been learned (and yes, they are still painful),
so what I'd like to do now is to get some suggestions on books, internet
classes, etc. that can help an HP3000, COBOL, VIEW, IMAGE, RGP, AS400,
etc, person become a  .NET, JAVA, VB, heaven-knows-what-else person.
I'd also like some thoughts (or facts) on what you think the 3k shops
will be/are  going to - Unix or MS, VB or JAVA, or the dreaded 'all of
the above'?

        Oh, and yes, I've considered (and still consider) changes in my
career that include everything from becoming a Business Analyst to
becoming a Bull Dozer driver (driving a dozer really sounds fun).


TIA for any help. 

Ray Shahan 
Life is not a journey to the grave with the 
intention of arriving safely in a pretty and 
well preserved body, but rather to skid in 
broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, 
and loudly proclaiming: 
-- WOW!!! What a Ride

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