The purpose of the Applications Systems Program is to provide information, influence direction and consolidate feedback on the application level of computing. It is at this level that the traditional language systems and the new technology of the Internet meet. It is a joining of the business processes of computing and the presentation of the completed product. The Projects of this Program function interactively with other Programs to produce business focused, technologically balanced solutions. It is the ultimate goal of this Program to assist our client community in maintaining currency, easing migration and influencing the future in the application tools arena. All of the officers within the APLS Program are volunteers, donating their time and energy to make the organization a success. We need YOU to help make SHARE an even better and more valuable experience! If you'd like to contribute, please attend a Sunday working session or Monday opening session for any of the projects listed below.

Projects within this Program include:
Application Development & Integration
Assembler Language
Java and Eclipse++
Language Environment, COBOL, PL/I, C/C++
Rexx
SOA and eBusiness


Application Development & Integration

The Application Development & Integration (ADI) project showcases Application related tools and products. Featured tools include editors, compare tools, database support tools, analysis and testing tools - basically anything that helps developers create higher quality Applications. Library and Configuration Management products, right through to integrated software frameworks also fall in this area.

Each SHARE highlights tools from different vendors, who speak about their products' little known features, so attendees get in-depth technical information from the experts themselves.

If it is your job to find new tools and creative ways to manage your organization's Application environment, you've just found your project.

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Assembler Language Project

The primary mission of the Assembler Language Project is to provide SHARE members information about assembler language as it is used in MVS and VM. An important aspect of this focus is the offering of basic and advanced tutorial sessions, as well as technical sessions for more expert assembler programmers. Topic areas include, but are not limited to architecture, instructions, assembler programming techniques, and improvements in the High Level Assembler.

The Project also focuses on topics which are not integral to the assembler but which have either an important connection to it or are most easily understood in that language. Examples of these are program management (specifically the Binder), linkage conventions, debuggers and debugging techniques, program development environments, interfaces to High Level Languages, and the relationship of the assembler to HLLs.

The Project also communicates to IBM the Requirements of SHARE members for improvements and enhancements to the assembler.

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Java and Eclipse++ Project

Technical sessions at the semi-annual SHARE conferences include both lectures and hands-on lab sessions using J2SE and J2EE standards-based technologies. The lectures include Introduction to Object Oriented Design (as used by Java), IBM JVM overview, SDK update, and Java batch support integration on z/OS. The hands-on laboratory sessions will let you develop and test your own Java programs and applications using the open source Eclipse Development environment. This includes Java language basics for beginners, developing web applications using JSP, Java debugging in Eclipse, and batch integration with Tomcat on z/OS and Eclipse. You will learn how to use the core Java platform technologies to build robust and portable applications. You can also expect an introduction to new Java technologies as well as IBM JVM technology update.

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Language Environment, COBOL, PL/I, C/C++

The Language Environment, COBOL, PL/I, C/C++ Project encourages discussion and critical thinking about the roles and capabilities of the languages that are supported by the common run-time environment, Language Environment (LE). Since LE is now integrated into the OS/390 and z/OS platforms, the Project also addresses issues related to LE as an operating system component. From a language perspective, although this project concentrates on COBOL, PL/I and C/C++ issues and how they work with LE, Because LE also supports FORTRAN and Assembler, the Project encourages the sharing of user experiences and IBM knowledge concerning LE migration issues for all LE-based languages. This includes Language Environment, language and migration related tools, plus general problems and solutions that participants are using at their own shops. General education is also provided in the areas of problem analysis, and new features and functions in COBOL, PL/I, C/C++ and Language Environment for
the MVS, OS/390, z/OS, VM and z/VM platforms. The project is actively involved in the generation of requirements for COBOL, PL/I. C/C++ and LE to enhance the languages and their respective run-time environments as application development tools. The Project actively encourages coordination of sessions and participation of other SHARE projects that want to address LE and/or language related issues that are outside our primary focus. XML and Java are two related areas we have addressed at recent SHAREs. In addition, the Project also provides a forum for participation in COBOL standardization activities and, as appropriate, we provide updates on these standards.

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Rexx Project

The Rexx Project provides a focal point for SHARE activities involving the Rexx family of programming languages, including Classic Rexx and OpenObject Rexx. Technical sessions at the semi-annual SHARE conferences range from language tutorials through hands-on laboratory sessions to introduction of new technology, programming tools, and vendor offerings. Topic areas cover all platforms from Windows and OS/2 to VM, MVS, and OS/390; technical content spans all levels from the most basic introductory material through advanced development of specialized applications. In addition to the conference technical program, the project is active in several areas of industry influence including SHARE requirements and participation on language standards committees.

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SOA and eBusiness Project

The mission of the SOA and eBusiness Solutions Project is to tackle real-world issues surrounding the development and deployment of intra and inter-business services-oriented applications. IBM/s top engineers explain the SOA architecture in detail and relate "best practices" for SOA implementation garnered from some of the world's largest corporations. Besides the "do's and dont's" of SOA, we help you transition from familiar CICS and client-server coding styles to the new world of rapid services creation and deployment. These are "hands on" sessions with coding examples using the latest and greatest tools. Industry experts like Wayne Duquaine of Grandview Systems and several IBM Distinguished Engineers are associated with the SOA project, including those driving the standards for security and interoperability with other major players like Microsoft, BEA, Oracle, etc. We continue to explore the evolution of portals, the emergence of the Enterprise Service Bus, and the intersection of SOA with evolving technologies like Grid Computing and WEB 2.0. We will provide the experts - you provide the questions.

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