[Info-vax] swap and page files

[David Froble]

Phillip Helbig---undress to reply wrote:
> In article <nospam-40BC21.17383902012013 at news.chingola.ch>, Paul Sture
> <nospam at sture.ch> writes: 
> 
>>> Back to VMS.  I have now replaced all my grey BA356 with blue ones.
>>> During the first change, I shut down the node while I powered off the
>>> box.  For the second one, I forgot.  However, apart from some expected
>>> mount verification, there was no problem.  How easy is it on other
>>> systems to power down the system disk then power it back on? 
>> That's an interesting question.  VMS is the only system I have come 
>> across in recent years which can survive a system disk going off line.
> 
> Several years ago, while sorting cables at home, I accidentally pulled 
> the SCSI cable from the system-disk shadow set on a VAX.  Apart from 
> some mount-verification messages, no effect.  Literally the next day at 
> work I was re-arranging some cables under my desk and pulled out the 
> mouse from a PC.  Had to reboot.  No joke.  Nuff said.  :-)
> 

It's the attitude, or sometimes worse.  Do you plan for possible errors 
and implement methods to attempt to recover from them, or, do you say 
"either it works right or it dies".

Some years ago I was working with a programmer at one of the clients.  I 
asked what conditions were set for some of the possible errors, 
including a timeout for messaging over the internet.  The response was, 
"oh, you'll always get a response".  As her boss rolled his eyes, I 
unplugged the RJ45 plug and held it up to her face and replied "even now?".

Even after you've "seen it all", you'll still be surprised at some of 
the attitudes out there ....