[Info-vax] VMS literature recommendations?

[Richard B. Gilbert]

On 1/8/2012 9:06 AM, MG wrote:
> There are several VMS and related books in my collection, including
> the official paperback VMS V6 documentation (as in, the manual and
> reference guide box set, with DEC branding), a rare copy of "Writing
> Real Programs in DCL", a somewhat mysterious DEC-branded "[VAX/]VMS
> Handbook" (mostly about administrative DCL, rather thin yet very
> useful). I also have the Digital Press book, "OpenVMS with Apache,
> OSU and WASD: The Nonstop Webserver" (somewhat confusing title).
> Naturally I read all of the latest documentation, mostly in PDF and
> HTML format.
>
> The reason I'm asking, is because on eBay there are several books
> being offered with interesting titles. Three of interest would be:
>
> - "OpenVMS System Management Guide",
> 2nd edition, by Lawrence Baldwin and
> Steve Hoffman; TOC:
> o Professional System Management
> o Site Configuration
> o System Configuration
> o Booting OpenVMS
> o System-Startup Procedures
> o System Shutdown
> o License Management
> o Queue Management
> o Managing User Accounts
> o Disk-Space Management
> o Login Command Procedures
> o Automating System Management
> o OpenVMS BACKUP/RESTORE
> Considerations
> o OpenVMS Support and Documentation
> o OpenVMS Integrity Monitoring
> o OpenVMS MAIL Management
> o OpenVMS Security Management
> o OpenVMS Performance Management
> o OpenVMS Network Management
> o Installing OpenVMS Software
> o Tips for the Hobbyist
> o OpenVMS Site Guide
> o Console Summary and Hardware
> Characteristics
> o OpenVMS Privileges
> o Sample OpenVMS Command File
> Tools
> o Digital/Compaq/HP Manuals
>
> - "The OpenVMS User's Guide",
> 2nd edition, by Patrick Holmay; TOC:
> o Discovering OpenVMS
> o A Beginner's Guide to OpenVMS
> File Management
> o Full-Screen Editing with EDT
> o Full-Screen Editing with EVE
> o The Phone and Mail Utilities
> o More Work with Files
> o Command Procedures
>
> - "OpenVMS Performance Management",
> by Joginder Sethi; TOC:
> o Part A: Memory management
> o Part B: Disk/IO Management
> o Part C: Application Optimization
> and Performance
> o Part D: CPU Management
> o Part E: Changing Sysgen Parameters
> o Part F: OpenVMS V6.0 Memory
> Management
> o Part G: Disk Stripping
> o Part H: Tuning Layered Products
> o Part I: Optimizing RDBMS
>
> Some have more extensive TOCs than others, though I would not want
> to entirely let myself be distracted by that.
>
> What I'm mostly interested in, considering that these books are
> rather pricey, how in-depth these go? Because I already have a
> very good grasp of how VMS works, in terms of maintenance, con-
> figuration, installing, file/file system management, making back-
> ups and so on. What I'd be most interested in, is more the lower
> level, programming and system internals side of things. (I am
> hoping that someone here on comp.os.vms has read one or more of
> these.)
>
> - MG

If Hoff put his name on it, I'd say that "good" is a given.  If I'm not 
mistaken, he's one of the authors of VMS.