Another difference with traditional interactive programming on iSeries
has to do with the way of presenting the program response to
the user. In AS/400 interactive programs a device file (display file) is used.
Display files are created with a language called Data Description Specifications (DDS).
A tool named Screen Design Aid (SDA) allows the programmer to design visually
pieces of screens (record formats) and to generate DDS statements.
In the Internet, the presentation manager is a WEB browser.
WEB browsers interpret scripts written in HyperText Markup Language (HTML).
HTML is much easier and more powerful than DDS.
A programmer willing to create CGI programs has no way out of it. S/he must
learn and master HTML.
Usually a small book (one hundred pages or less)
is enough to start.
We suggest some W3School classes:
A lot of learning is also achieved by displaying and reading the HTML of
WEB pages written by other people.
| 
development