Welcome to another edition of Talsco Weekly

IBM i Brief: 👨‍🏫 IBM i sees youth influx amid workforce transition challenges. 👥 Youth movement energizes POWERUp 2025. 📊 Memory investments preserved across Power generations.
Development: 💡 RPG veteran launches innovative tech mentorship blog. 💭 Is Rust the next frontier for IBM i development?
EDI: 🦾 Eradani deploys AI to revolutionize EDI integration.
Learning: 🎓 IBM and TechChannel team up for education initiative. 💻 IBM Power quietly powers global commerce.

IBM i Brief

As the IBM i community buzzes with excitement from POWERUp 2025, this week’s roundup spotlights groundbreaking educational initiatives and fresh voices energizing the platform’s future.

👨‍🏫 IBM i sees youth influx amid workforce transition challenges

The IBM i platform grapples with a significant demographic shift as Baby Boomer professionals retire without sufficient next-generation replacements.

IBM’s response includes:

Expanding the Power Skills Academy
Modernizing the platform with open-source tools and web interfaces, aiming to attract younger talent and reduce resistance to traditional green-screen environments.

New at POWERUp 2025:

POWERUp 2025 introduces expanded networking opportunities and non-technical sessions, with half of the 300 sessions being new offerings to enhance attendee connections and engagement.

👥 Youth movement energizes POWERUp 2025

COMMON’s strategic focus on attracting younger talent shines at POWERUp 2025, with student attendance reaching new heights. With 1,200 attendees and a significant portion being first-timers, COMMON’s initiatives like free student memberships and the New to IBM i (N2i) program are successfully reshaping the platform’s future.

📊 Memory investments preserved across Power generations

IBM’s OpenCAPI Memory Interface technology enables both forward and backward compatibility between Power10 and Power11 systems, protecting customers’ substantial memory investments while supporting next-generation performance capabilities.

POWERUp 2025 Takeaways

✨ Key session success factors at POWERUp 2025:

You know it was a good session when attendees swarm you with questions
Balance of technical depth with practical application
Cross-generational knowledge sharing opportunities
Focus on modernization and emerging technologies
Security is first and foremost

Development

💡 RPG veteran launches innovative tech mentorship blog

George VanEaton introduces The RPG Roast, a fresh approach to IBM i development education launching May 19, 2025. Combining 30 years of RPG expertise with modern development insights, this weekly blog promises practical tutorials, leadership advice, and real-world solutions for legacy system challenges. The platform targets both seasoned developers and newcomers, focusing on actionable guidance without technical jargon.

Takeaways:

It’s refreshing to see more and more IBM i-ers venture out and publish their own blogs.

The Servant Leadership spirit within the IBM i community highlights the collaborative spirit that has always defined the platform.

Here, George not only passes on technical knowledge – but decades of business logic understanding and system optimization techniques that can’t be found in traditional documentation.

Cheers.

💭 Is Rust the next frontier for IBM i development?

Industry experts contemplate adding Rust programming language support to IBM i following its successful implementation on AIX, potentially expanding the platform’s modern development capabilities and attracting new talent.

EDI

🦾 Eradani deploys AI to revolutionize EDI integration

In a strategic move, Eradani launched its Managed API and EDI Integration Service, leveraging Claude AI to streamline EDI document processing.

The $55,000/year subscription service tackles the complex “nonstandard standard” of EDI mapping, promising faster partner onboarding compared to traditional methods. By converting EDI to JSON and using AI for mapping, Eradani aims to modernize legacy integration challenges while maintaining human expertise oversight.

Key-takeaway:

Here is what I love about this story:

“Customers were telling us, well, when I need to onboard a new partner, I go to my EDI vendor and they tell me, okay, we think we can get you on the schedule in four to six weeks or in three months,” Magid says. “And then when we do that, then it’ll take us another week or two to actually get the integration done. And customers are saying that means I’ve now lost two months of business or a month of business with this potential customer.”

They develop an amazing product that their customers love, then their customers say, hey can you help us out with EDI as well?” And they go out, innovate, and build the product the customer is looking for, and its more cost-effective and time-sensitive.

Learning

🎓 IBM and TechChannel team up for education initiative

A new partnership between TechChannel and IBM has launched the IBM Systems Education & Training Showcase, addressing the critical need for skilled IBM Power technologists.

The platform serves as a comprehensive directory of IT institutions and training resources, featuring educational content about IBM Power basics, community insights, and professional development opportunities.

This initiative aims to strengthen the IBM Power ecosystem through targeted training and education.

💻 IBM Power quietly powers global commerce

For those unfamiliar with the IBM i and IBM Power, here is a good place to start.

From its origins in the System/38 to today’s modern servers, IBM Power has been a cornerstone of business computing for over 40 years.

While often associated with small and medium businesses, the platform – particularly with its IBM i operating system – serves organizations of all sizes.

CTO Steve Will emphasizes its reputation for reliability and integration, noting that whether shopping in-store or online, IBM i likely powers the transaction behind the scenes.

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