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Resolved Re: Can we still remain as a PowerBuilder developer?

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  1. Sivaprakash BKR
    Sivaprakash BKR
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. Saturday, 21 August 2021 06:14 AM UTC

Hello,

Released features and planned one (Roadmap)

We have been using Powerbuilder for more than 2 decades and still love to be a powerbuilder developer(s).   We have tons of codes developed in powerscript and have experience in analysing and solving business problems in powerbuilder way.

Also we see that Powerbuilder is evolving to match the current trends, with the launch of Snapdevelop with a possibility to code in other (new) languages too.   

By seeing all these, we have a little fear whether, all these new enhancement will force us to learn new languages / technologies ?

1.  By moving to other languages, won't we become a freshers again?
2.  What will happen to our codes developed in Powerscript, the only script that's support by Powerbuilder?   Just lay it to rest....
3.  With so many free/paid alternatives available in the market, why one more to do the same work, same way?  [ SnapDevelop vs VS Code, VS ..... ]

Would like to know what's Appeons' Plan? 
A.  Whether to make Powerbuilder developers, a Web/Mobile Apps developers       OR
B.  Introduce one more IDE for Web/Mobile developers?

Being with Powerbuilder for so many years, what we expect is a way to build Web/Mobile apps with our existing knowledge and experience.   A product which tells us to code in Powerscript and see the magic happening. 

Hope you understand Appeon.

Happiness Always
BKR Sivaprakash

 

  1. PowerBuilder (Appeon)
  2. Roadmap
  3. SnapDevelop
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Responses (3)
mike S
mike S Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Saturday, 21 August 2021 15:40 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 1

When you say 'web' do you mean HTML?  or do you mean cloud? 

when you say 'mobile' do you mean a phone app?  Or do you mean a tablet that can be used 'in the field' via wireless technology?  

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Sivaprakash BKR
  1. Sivaprakash BKR
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 05:53 AM UTC
mike,

What we mean is what our customers' say. They demand what they require. At some point, HTML UI got an edge over PB's cloud apps. Few customers' require in-house apps for (mobile / tablets) where connection to local server will suffice.

We will be happy to have all-in-one solution with powerscript :)

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mike S
  1. mike S
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 14:57 PM UTC
"What we mean is what our customers' say."



My experience is that *very* often customers use terms like WEB interchangeably with words like cloud or SAAS. so they may say, "we require a web app", but really they mean they want a cloud app.
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Sivaprakash BKR
  1. Sivaprakash BKR
  2. Tuesday, 24 August 2021 05:22 AM UTC
Here many say (& sell) their HTML apps as Cloud apps. I see Appeon's approach to Cloud is different. Only vendors' know what they are giving (SAAS or Cloud). In customer's view they can use that application from anywhere. Few don't prefer to install an app in their computers, there we need HTML UI.
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Miguel Leeuwe
Miguel Leeuwe Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Saturday, 21 August 2021 17:06 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 2

Hi,

Well, Appeon has certainly abandoned mobile development, so you'd better learn some other languages for mobile. B4X is nice, but lacks good documentation and Flutter/Dart or Blazor are promising.

I would definitely recommend learning other technologies, which is what I'm doing myself. As much as I love PB and as much as Appeon is blowing 'new life' into powerbuilder, there's not many jobs with pure powerbuilder any more. (That also depends a lot on where you live).

In between jobs, I've had to accept cleaning jobs, work on the country side, etc. Nothing that I'm afraid of, but it's not ideal when a new PB job offer comes along once in 8 months time. For me probably the best way to go, would be by going free-lance, if I'd ever lose my current job.

So my advice is to learn C#, Javascript, Python, Golang, Dart/Flutter, etc. The only problem is that there's just so much languages to choose from and none of them will guarantee you a job by itself. You will always have to know a ton of other things to be able to get a job. My situation is the same as yours: I'm an experienced PB developer, but a total noob in any other languages. Back to square one.

:)

regards.

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Miguel Leeuwe
  1. Miguel Leeuwe
  2. Saturday, 21 August 2021 17:23 PM UTC
Okay... not totally true. I worked with Progress 20 years ago, but that has now turned into a huge monster, C (long forgotten and glad about it), Speed-II (Cobol based 4GL), Clipper, etc. etc. nothing that might get me a job, that's the point.
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Sivaprakash BKR
  1. Sivaprakash BKR
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 05:40 AM UTC
hmmm.. I started with Pro-IV then to Foxpro to Clipper to Powerbuilder. Happy with PB so far.
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Juan Pedro Sanz Diez
  1. Juan Pedro Sanz Diez
  2. Friday, 24 June 2022 14:15 PM UTC
Don't underestimate yourselves. A developer is not just writing code. It is everything that goes around it, which has to do with experience, with the way in which you have learnt to face difficulties. I believe this is what human resources, or at least good projects managers, look for in a developer. Not if you know all the functions of a certain language or the control statements. Learning a new language fairly well takes two or three months. Become completely familiar with a set of applications, even if they are built in a language you know, one or two years. Performing these processes effectively is the experience of a lifetime.
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Armeen Mazda @Appeon
Armeen Mazda @Appeon Accepted Answer Pending Moderation
  1. Saturday, 21 August 2021 17:31 PM UTC
  2. PowerBuilder
  3. # 3

Hi Sivaprakash,

First of all, per our roadmap we are committed to continuing the PowerBuilder IDE and PowerScript language.  But actions speak louder than words, and if you look at our release history you will see we have enhanced PowerScript project types with many new features. 

We understand that there is increasing demand to build Internet/Cloud-based applications, so we doubled-down on PowerBuilder and made big investments to revamp the PowerServer option in version 2021.  We did not go with an HTML UI technology or support iOS/Android devices, because then it would be poor solution for automatically converting existing client/server projects.

Adding to what Mike said, "Web" refers to "world wide web" (not HTML) and mobile can be tablet (not only phone).  So finishing off Mike's train of thought, if you are targeting Windows tablets over the Internet, you should definitely take a look at PowerServer 2021.

Now to answer your question about our plans for PowerBuilder developers, we will keep enhancing 3 project types (that are already available today):

1. Client/server apps (for Windows devices) in PowerScript with DataWindow technology

2. Cloud apps (for Windows devices) in PowerScript with DataWindow technology

3. REST API development in C# with DataWindow technology

Beyond these 3 project types, you are going to have to learn new things.  If you want to develop HTML UI or deploy to iOS/Android devices, then you should look at SnapDevelop.  Version 2022 will support HTML, React, etc.

Now as far as why use SnapDevelop (that is free) vs. other free options, if you develop a complex C# project in SnapDevelop and compare to other options I think it will become apparent that SnapDevelop is much more productive.  VS Code is an editor (not IDE) and focused on front-end development.  Many of the other free options are not well maintained and I wouldn't even think to use those.  So really, it comes down to SnapDevelop vs. VS Code.

Best regards,
Armeen

 

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Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 06:06 AM UTC
#1 There is already PowerScript Migrator for migrating non-visual code to C# REST APIs. But you need to create the UI yourself, and certainly need other skills besides PowerBuilder.

#2 Sorry for not being clear… I meant free for all PB subscribers. In future we might make it free to the general public.

#3 Yes, but as I said mentioned version 2022 supports developing UI. Currently it only supports non-visual projects (e.g. REST API development).
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Sivaprakash BKR
  1. Sivaprakash BKR
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 11:05 AM UTC
Thanks Armeen.

May be tooooo early.. have you planned the release period of 2022 ?

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Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  1. Armeen Mazda @Appeon
  2. Monday, 23 August 2021 14:51 PM UTC
Sorry, at this point all that is clear is it will be released in 2022.
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