Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

There is something a little different about recording an episode in front of a live INFOCUS audience. There is applause, audience participation, questionable voting technology, and, apparently, very strong opinions about Paul’s hair.

For our INFOCUS 2026 live recording, we invited AJ Schifano to join us on stage for a conversation that felt especially fitting. After 29 years with JD Edwards, AJ was wrapping up his final conference before retirement. With modernization as the theme of the week, we could think of few people better to talk about where we’ve been, where we’re going, and why none of us should get too comfortable with whatever happens to be considered “modern” today.

And because it was AJ, we also got a few stories we probably could not have planned if we tried.

JD Edwads is “Pre-Future”

AJ has been around long enough to remember when technologies we now take completely for granted were the exciting new thing. That perspective makes today’s conversations about AI, automation, and whatever comes next feel a little different. Modern is always moving. What feels cutting edge today eventually becomes something we barely think about tomorrow.

AJ shared his opinions on the historical label, “postmodern” and suggested labeling JD Edwards as “pre-future.” It sounds a little ridiculous, which is probably why we liked it so much. But there is something useful behind it. The JDE community has gone through plenty of technology shifts already, and each one has created another opportunity to figure out what we can do next.

Curiosity Is a Pretty Good Qualification

It wouldn’t be a live podcast without audience participation, so we asked those in attendance if they had any questions for AJ before he bid us all adieu and when asked about what wisdom he wanted to leave behind, the conversation moved somewhere we think matters.

This community may revolve around software, but there has always been room for people who did not start as programmers. AJ is an English major. Across the JDE world, we have business analysts, developers, administrators, accountants, project managers, and plenty of people whose careers took turns they never saw coming.

What connects them is curiosity.

Technology keeps changing, which means none of us ever really reaches the point where we know everything we need to know. We keep asking questions, trying things, solving problems, and occasionally admitting we have absolutely no idea what somebody is talking about.

The Stories Are Part of the Community

As AJ looked back on nearly three decades, some of the best memories had surprisingly little to do with software. There were conference sessions, of course. But there were also silver jackets, two different shoes, late nights in Las Vegas, unexpected wedding festivities, and a very determined search for cake at an hour when most reasonable people are asleep.

Those stories made us laugh, but they also reminded us why this community feels different. Conferences give us opportunities to learn, but the conversations in hallways, dinners after sessions, friendships built over years, and ridiculous stories we continue telling long after the technology has changed are a pretty important part of the deal.

AJ may be retiring, but something tells us he is not disappearing completely. And we are perfectly fine with that.

Midwesternism of the Day

This week’s Midwesternism fits those moments when circumstances take an unexpected turn and we decide things are still somewhere within the acceptable range. It is understated, mildly optimistic, and exactly the kind of reaction you might hear after receiving news about the fate of a hairstyle that has generated far more community participation than anyone anticipated. You will have to listen to hear how AJ helped us put the finishing touch on it.

Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and most importantly, laughing together.

Toodles!

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