Should I learn Openedge as a C# programmer

Question

We have an Progress OpenEdge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_4GL) develop team in the company I work for. I'm the only c# developer there and really like it. So now the manager asks me to learn programming in OpenEdge. He doesn't want me to become a good OpenEdge programmer but he wants the team members to understand both worlds. He hopes the team will benefit from this. I'm not unwilling to learn but I want to become a better developer and there are so many more aspects of .Net I like to discover. So are there there any good point about Progress OpenEdge I would profit from or should I stay away from it.

Answer 1

If your manager wants you to learn OpenEdge, then he has a reason for it. One reason could be that you will be taking on some of the development, perhaps providing cover when others are off. The other reason could be, as he says, that he want the team to understand both worlds.

What you need to find out is if the Progress people are going to be looking at .NET as well. If not, you know which of these reasons he has in mind.

Answer 2

It is never a bad idea to learn new (and different!) languages. It keeps the mind working and teaches you concepts that might not be available in your language. Learning OpenEdge will have no adverse effects on your C# knowledge and you can likely learn them in tandem. I personally am currently reading up on C#, Python, PHP, Ruby and Groovy all while doing most of my work in Java, I simply want to know everything. (Not to mention reading about multiple frameworks for said languages).

In short, you will always profit from learning a new language as it will give you a different perspective than the one you are used to.

Answer 3

What version of OpenEdge are you using? I might be biased but I would say that yes it is worth it. There are people looking for OpenEdge developers and with Progress recently releasing a product we call "OpenEdge GUI for .Net" that allows you build .Net frontends with .Net controls using only OpenEdge ABL code, there will be more and more shops that will be looking for people that have an understanding of the OO .Net world but also understand ABL.

One of the other good things about the ABL is that it is Extremely backwards compatible (no VB6 nightmares when we upgrade versions) (although some may say this backwards compatibility is a fault).

The ABL now is mixing its tradition Procedule manner with OO concepts so you can use one or the other or both theories depending on what makes sense.

The main thing I imagine you will be learning is the data access components and yes, that won't help you out in the .Net world, but I think you will find it easier to learn then other data access and so, will be an asset to have.

Lastly, if you have a good grounding in .Net as it seems you have, you will be a great asset to your employer (and be another box to tick on future job applications) in helping their OpenEdge devlopers understand the .Net ideas. I don't think progress will ever make ABL compile to CLR code (excuse me if I have terminology wrong. Is it meant to be bit code? You know the code that runs in a .Net VM) but they do know that .Net is winning the Desktop battle and they are borrowing a few concepts (.Net GUI and Datasets for one). I would hope (bias again) that you would look at some of the OE data access and say, I wish .Net had an easy way to do that!

Answer 4

1. OpenEdge is a powerful framework for building CRUD applications; but it is a niche skill with no SAP-like salary premium for possessing it; conversely decent OpenEdge developers are hard to get hold of for bog standard rates - it would not be unknown for a manager to recruit an OpenEdge developer by the backdoor.

2. The core ABL (OpenEdge language) is different enough a language from the mainstream to be interesting for an inquisitive programmer and for your bosses arguments for everyone to understand where the others are coming from to make sense.

So, bearing those points in mind:

It's worth learning the basics to enrich your understanding of your core competencies, along the lines of "What should they of England know, who only England know?". You may also find the ease of data access eye-opening.

It is not worth spending too much time distracted from developing your expertise in a framework which is infinitely more widely used.

Answer 5

It is a niche but niches can be very worthwhile. It can also be like being stuck in mud. Which it turns out to be depends on lots of factors but as others have said it is always good to learn new stuff.

Answer 6

I make 75 euro's an hour with my 12 years of Progress / Webspeed / Sonic experience.