Anyone who thinks of IBM i (formerly known as AS/400) as dusty, dark server rooms and reserved types would certainly have been surprised in Lyon.
This year’s COMMON EUROPE conference impressively demonstrated that the platform is evolving faster than ever and the community is right along with it.
With over 400 participants from around 30 countries, the event was very well attended. Particularly noteworthy: In addition to the usual visitors from Europe, there were even guests from Australia. Even more encouraging, however, was the average age of the attendees. Compared to some events held ten years ago, the audience was significantly younger, with many attendees between the ages of 20 and 30. This is a good sign for the platform’s future.
Of course, the focus was on technical topics. There was a lot of discussion about IBM Bob, the new tool from IBM that supports modern development processes. Presentations on Visual Studio Code and its extensions, which have now become the tool of choice for many developers – were also in high demand. The days when IBM i development took place exclusively on the green screen are finally a thing of the past.
Strategically, IBM set a clear course. The preview of POWER11, the next generation of the hardware platform, was particularly exciting. The message was clear: POWER11 will be “AI-ready” and will integrate artificial intelligence even more deeply into enterprise applications. With this, IBM i continues to position itself as a modern platform for current and future requirements.
The continued development of the operating system was also a key topic. IBM i V7R6, the next version, is set to be released soon and brings numerous improvements in security, performance, and development. This was complemented by many sessions focused on Python on IBM i. Python has long since evolved from an interesting addition to an integral part of modern IBM i development.
In addition to the presentations, however, another aspect was at least as valuable: the conversations among the participants. The conference offered numerous opportunities for networking, sharing experiences, and making new connections. Many interesting discussions took place not only during the sessions, but also during coffee breaks, at evening events, or spontaneously after the sessions. It is precisely this community that accounts for a large part of the conference’s success.
And since not everything has to be just “work,” there were also some highlights outside the conference: With our personal, local tour guide Patrick James, we were able to get to know the city of Lyon from a very special perspective—including its cuisine, history, and local hidden gems!
Our Conclusion on COMMON EUROPE: Anyone who still claims that the AS/400 – or IBM i – is a thing of the past probably wasn’t in Lyon. The platform is evolving rapidly, new technologies are being integrated, young developers are joining the ranks, and the community is noticeably vibrant.
In short: IBM i is anything but dead -it has quite a lot in store.
