I'd prefer to avoid another instance of Crayford criticizing REXX, but here's my take.
One major hurdle in adopting Python is its dependency on a UNIX environment. When I introduced Python to REXX programmers, I received feedback from seasoned professionals (like myself) who expressed reluctance due to their reliance on PDS data sets, TSO, and unfamiliarity with USS. Conversely, younger colleagues I work with rarely use TSO/ISPF. REXX is notably inefficient—capital "I" inefficiency. I tested a Lua program for dataset I/O that completed in less than a second, whereas the equivalent REXX code took 12 seconds. Unfortunately, REXX's performance isn't likely to improve; it's also considered a language riddled with weaknesses. Python, although not my preferred language, is significantly feature-rich. Many REXX programmers stick with REXX out of familiarity and resist learning something new. From a customer-oriented perspective, avoiding REXX is advisable. Even before Python or Java emerged, opting for offloads to zIIPs was a better choice. Python offers a generous 70% zIIP generosity factor. > On 29 Jun 2024, at 1:20 AM, Charles Mills <charl...@mcn.org> wrote: > > @Timothy, is that a Yes or a No? > > There has been a lot of discussion here about Rexx versus Python: "Why are > you still using that old-fashioned Rexx when Python is so much more > wonderful?" There are several answers, valid IMHO, including developer > familiarity. But the key objection to Python, for third-party and similar > software that is intended for use at multiple, often as-yet-unidentified > sites, is the one I cite below: "if we write it in Python than any potential > customer will have to download the Python run-time, and some customers are > extremely reluctant to download and install non-standard (FSVO non-standard) > software." (For Rexx, the run-time is a standard part of a z/OS install.) > > Is it your opinion, is it the community's opinion, that that objection has > now gone away or is going away as time passes by and more and more shops are > on a post-7/1/2024 download of z/OS? > > Charles > > On Fri, 28 Jun 2024 04:10:13 +0000, Timothy Sipples <sipp...@sg.ibm.com> > wrote: > >> Charles Mills wrote: >>> Am I reading this correctly that the "they would have to download >>> it and some shops won't do that" objection to the use of Python for >>> third-party software goes away, at least for customers with z/OS >>> systems ordered after July 1? >> >> These 3 products are ?bypassable requisites? effective July 1, 2024. See >> Marna?s blog post for more details: >> >> https://community.ibm.com/community/user/ibmz-and-linuxone/blogs/chandni-dinani2/2024/06/26/zos-modernization-new-bypassable-products?communityKey=200b84ba-972f-4f79-8148-21a723194f7f > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
