Subj : IBM Developer's Toolbox
To : Tobias Ernst
From : David Noon
Date : Thu Oct 12 2000 01:57 pm
Hi Tobias,
Replying to a message of Tobias Ernst to David Noon:
DN>> + Origin: My other computer is an IBM S/390 (2:257/609.5)
TE> Speaking of legacy technology, your computer then is legacy technology
TE> too. ;-). If you want to be current, this must be an IBM z900 now.
We are still running an IBM 9672 box. The z900 upgrade will likely be next
year.
TE> Well - the z900 is also new in the Microsoftish way: New cover, but
TE> the same (well, enhanced of course) thing underneath.
Soon to be 64-bit.
TE> I wonder what stupid guy thought up this senseless product rebranding.
An abject moron, I'm afraid. That is, I suppose, a working definition of a
product manager in most R&D companies.
TE> There was enough trouble in beating into the customers' heads what a
TE> S/390 is, and once they understood and embraced the term (e.g. gcc
TE> and Linux calls the architecture s390-ibm now), is is renamed.
TE> Brilliant!
Several years of marketing hard work down the tubes. The heritage went:
S/360
S/370
370/XA
ESA/370
ESA/390
S/390
As you can see, there have been digressions in the past from a consistent
naming convention. Indeed, consistent trains of thought are actively
discouraged in marketing. It is called "thinking outside the box".
For my sins, I have programmed all of the above architectures as they evolved.
TE> Or take the AS/400
I'd rather not.
TE> - it's name stands for reliability in
TE> middleware issues for a broad range of customers - then why change
TE> the winning team/name? And if the name is changed, why must there
TE> again be a meaningless leter with a meaningless number? Could one not
TE> at least have thought of a meaningful name? Aaargh!
TE> You don't really have a S/390, and be it only a P/390 board, do you?
It's a large, black box in central London.
TE> I'm still looking if there is an easy way for an interested Hobbieist
TE> to get an account on such a machine via TCP/IP (with VM/CMS, MVS or
TE> VSE, in this order of preference).
I work for a Swiss bank. There is no way they would let a hobbyist loose on the
big machine (or any other, for that matter).
TE> From time to time I do
TE> mainframe-related work for IBM (e.g. during semester holidays), but
TE> when I do not work there, I can't access the machines, so every year
TE> when I get back I have forgotten so much - I'd really like to have a
TE> way to keep my knowledge fresh also during the rest of the year. :-)
You could try getting a job in the real world. ... :-)
We offer long hours, low pay compared to your manager, and potential redundancy
when fashions change in technology.
Anyhow, the discussion of mainframes is largely off-topic, unless you want to
discuss programming the OS/2 box that controls the hardware configuration.
Since that never happens outside the IBM labs., it is a most unlikely topic.
Regards
Dave
<Team PL/I>
--- FleetStreet 1.25.1
* Origin: My other computer is an IBM S/390 (2:257/609.5)
