PC-based platforms for mainframe software development.

More companies are using PC-based platforms for developing mainframe software. This brings reduced development time and lower costs, and reduces the burden on the mainframe hardware. Still, some problems may result from PC-based development. A seven-step analysis can be applied to any situation to determine whether it makes sense to develop on a PC. The first step is to assess current mainframe software development costs, in order to have a baseline against which to measure PC-based costs. These costs include processing costs, storage costs, test costs, and costs associated with production