System i Developer, the consortium of four top educators on IBM i development technologies and organizers of the "RPG & DB2 Summit " have announced its next conference will be in Las Vegas Oct. 19-22 with three days of conference sessions and one day of optional workshops. Throughout the event, summit hosts and leading development experts Skip Marchesani, Jon Paris, Susan Gantner, and Paul Tuohy will teach RPG and DB2 programming professionals the latest skills needed to update their proficiency in core technologies used for IBM i application development.
Recent research indicates that, in addition to upgrading skills and improving productivity, ongoing education plays a key role in helping companies retain valued employees. According to Robert Half, a prominent recruiting firm for IT professionals, CIOs ranked "professional development and training" as second only to increased compensation in a list of the most effective tactics in retaining IT staff.
The RPG & DB2 Summit will be held at the Convention Center of the Riviera Hotel and Casino. This Las Vegas landmark has recently undergone a multimillion dollar renovation. There, the System i Developer team will be joined by guest experts Scott Klement, Mike Cain, Kent Milligan, George Farr, Barbara Morris, and Bruce Vining to present in-depth training on topics such as the new RDi development tools and IBM i 6.1, WDSc/RSE, ILE, SQL, RPG IV, DB2, PHP and XML--all from a developer's perspective. Four optional half-day workshops will focus on SQL basics, SQL performance and scalability, getting started with RSE/WDSc/RDi tooling, and PHP for IBM i developers. The conference is sponsored by leading media organizations.
IBM's recent release of the IBM i 6.1 operating system and changes to development tool offerings will increasingly impact the day-to-day work of IBM i developers. Many teams are currently trying to evaluate the potential that the new release and tooling hold for their specific applications and environment. The summit curriculum includes several 6.1-specific sessions that clarify the implications of moving to the new offerings from several different perspectives, including the database, RPG enhancements, new tooling and the upgrade process itself. In addition to training and guidance in a classroom setting, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss their specific situations with key IBM technical experts. The summit's keynote speaker, George Farr, is expected to reveal the latest IBM developments relevant to i programmers. Throughout and after the address, he will open the floor to active discussion and feedback on IBM's direction.
Summit organizers report that past attendees frequently comment on two specific dynamics that set the RPG & DB2 Summit apart from other conferences. First, the environment mimics custom training since speakers encourage relaxed interaction within the sessions and remain available during breaks and meals to discuss questions related to individual circumstances. Second, the technical content focuses on practical knowledge that can be implemented immediately upon return to the office. Even those sessions that deal with conceptual material, such as Scott Klement's well-attended "A Pattern for Reusable RPG Code" focus on the real-world implementation of those concepts.
Registration is $995 ($895 for prior attendees) for those whose reservations are received by June 27. Half-day workshops are priced at $250 for one workshop, or $325 for two. For more information, visit http://www.systemideveloper.com/, email
About System i Developer
Comprised of top experts in RPG, ILE, DB2, SQL, and WDSc/RDi technologies, System i Developer delivers high quality RPG and DB2-focused education. Its cornerstone conference, the RPG & DB2 Summit, provides an interactive, total immersion experience to RPG and DB2 developers who want to stay abreast of the latest advancements and learn how to apply specific RPG and DB2 techniques to keep their software applications vibrant and innovative. As independent educators with longstanding relationships with IBM, members of the consortium also work with individual organizations to provide well-informed, unbiased advice and training on any IBM i development topic, from basic best practices to the latest, most advanced techniques.
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