[Info-vax] Programming languages on VMS

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 02/01/2018 01:09 PM, DaveFroble wrote:
> Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>> On 01/31/2018 07:57 PM, seasoned_geek wrote:
>>> On Wednesday, January 31, 2018 at 3:22:58 PM UTC-6, Bill Gunshannon 
>>> wrote:
>>>> On 01/31/2018 02:00 PM, seasoned_geek wrote:
>>>>> On Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 7:02:57 PM UTC-6, Simon Clubley wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'll start by mentioning one example from my past which is a 
>>>>>> programming
>>>>>> language called Synergy. This is a third party version of DEC's DIBOL
>>>>>> language and was recommended by DEC as the replacement for DIBOL.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> If Synergy doesn't port DIBOL to the x86 version of OpenVMS, the 
>>>>> vast majority of credit unions in the country will be stranded on a 
>>>>> bastard child which should have never been born (Itanic) or they 
>>>>> will switch to non-HP Weeeendoooze hardware and systems. Been a 
>>>>> while since I looked, but the two main vendors or credit union 
>>>>> systems both were written with DIBOL.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> You may be right, but if Credit Unions were using VMS wouldn't there be
>>>> a lot more VMS jobs floating around?  I don't know about your neck of
>>>> the woods but around here you can't throw a rock without hitting a
>>>> credit union.  I figured they were all on Windows boxes as most didn't
>>>> even exist back in the day when VMS was still considered a valid 
>>>> option.
>>>>
>>>> bill
>>>
>>> The credit unions purchased systems with/out modifications from two 
>>> major vendors. I do not know if they have the source code.
>>>
>>
>> Not having the source code doesn't mean you don't need people
>> who understand the system.  Who admins all these Credit Union's
>> VMS systems?  Logs fill up. Hardware wears out.  PC weenies aren't
>> going to be able to come in and fix the system unless it's a PC.
>> Where are all these VMS people maintaining these systems?
>>
>> bill
>>
> 
> Well Bill, you premise is not correct.  These things can, and have, been 
> automated.  Not one Codis customer has a serious IT employee, and no, 
> we're not on their systems constantly managing them.

Amazing how people here have it both ways.  When I spoke of
leaving my systems for weeks or months I was constantly told
that systems just don't run on their own.  And yet now we
hear that VMS can run with no supervision for extended lengths
of time.  No one to look at logs.  No problems that ever
turn up.  Hardware ;like disks that never go bad.  Scary.

> 
> When the needs are understood, many things can be automated, including 
> the system calling for help when the unexpected occurs.

I said I had my systems automated and was assured you can't
do that.  Someone has to babysit them anyway.

> 
> As for HW, when things break, you still don't need a VMS system 
> manager.  You need HW support, and established procedures.

Really.  So when the system disk dies who replaces the software
on it?  The PC weenie down the hall?

bill