[Info-vax] HP wins Oracle Itanium case

Wed Aug 22 09:12:42 EDT 2012

ChrisQ wrote 2012-08-22 14:44:
> On 08/22/12 07:25, Paul Sture wrote:
>
>>
>> The one thing I miss with the demise of line printer fan fold paper is
>> the ability to print out source code or compilation listings for
>> debugging purposes.  With source code typically less than 80 characters,
>> the white space at the RHS of the 132 character printout gave you plenty
>> of room to pencil in notes and new bits of code.
>
> Still have half a box or so of wide line printer paper and bound RT11 macro
> listings from the late 80's / early nineties.

I also find it easier to make a print whan I have to investigate
programs from the late 80's, early 90's. :-)

------------------------------
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. xxxxxx
AUTHOR.  xxxxx
DATE-WRITTEN. MARS 1985.
------------------------------

aaaa> dir DKA200:[xxx.yyy.zzz]xxxxxx.COB

Directory DKA200:[xxx.yyy.zzz]

xxxxxx.COB;9     27/35       22-JUL-2003 12:51:52.04
xxxxxx.COB;8     26/35        5-SEP-1997 15:25:53.74
xxxxxx.COB;7     26/35       19-MAR-1985 16:55:21.00

Total of 3 files, 79/105 blocks.
aaaa>

Another one from the 80's was updated last year :

aaaa> d DKA200:[aa.bb]wwwwww.COB

Directory DKA200:[aa.bb]

wwwwww.COB;68    58/70       18-JAN-2011 23:37:35.56
wwwwww.COB;67    58/70       13-JAN-1997 14:23:08.10
wwwwww.COB;61    58/70        5-DEC-1995 11:12:56.34
wwwwww.COB;44    58/70       18-OCT-1995 13:46:27.25
wwwwww.COB;14    56/70       14-NOV-1994 13:20:17.91
wwwwww.COB;11    55/70       22-NOV-1989 08:31:13.00

Total of 6 files, 343/420 blocks.
aaaa>

That would have been me, I've worked with this system
since aprox 2007.

That is a 22 year time-span for active source code.
Code in production use, of course.

Oldest on-disk source is from 1980 :

---------------------------------------
IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID.     -----.
AUTHOR.         xxxxxxx.
INSTALLATION.   xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
DATE-WRITTEN.   NOV 1980.
SECURITY.       COPYRIGHT xxxxxxxxxxxx.
---------------------------------------

What systems did VMS run on in 1980 ?

I can't say if that is still part of the production
code base. 33 years lifetime so far anyway... :-)

Regards
Jan-Erik.

  I always want 132 column wide
> edits, code to the left, comments to the right and line printers could handle
> that. Laser printers bring that up to date with 8pt terminal fonts and
> landscape mode. Some think it's obsessive, but I really don't like comments
> interspersed with the code, as it breaks up the visual scan.
>
>>
>> I still find printing source code a useful way to review code.
>>
>
> I still print as well, but with the availability of tabbed editors like
> nedit, I find less need for it. It also saves paper, which I have to pay for
> myself much of the time these days :-)...
>
> Regards,
>
> Chris
>