[HECnet] Humour value alternative to DCL - a port OS/390 ISPF to VMS :)

[Hans Vlems]

At Fujitsu we did have an IBM mainframe (dos/vse and VM). It had no network interface by itself. Eventually it was connected to the LAN via a channel attached DECnet gateway. In order to test connectivity we had to submit jcl decks. I agree fully with you how that language (?) was designed: a mess. On Burroughs one has WFL and that looks like A lol. Jcl looks like assembler without a proper design...


Van: Sampsa Laine
Verzonden: maandag 30 september 2013 21:38
Aan: hecnet at Update.UU.SE
Beantwoorden: hecnet at Update.UU.SE
Onderwerp: Re: [HECnet] Humour value alternative to DCL - a port OS/390 ISPF to
VMS :)


>> name but it was a blessing because the shell commands were beyond human

Ever try to write anything in JCL? :)

That language is messed up, I have about 3 books on it and still can't really figure out how it works except by direct copying scripts from the book to a live system. Sometimes I even manage to compile COBOL programs, but I haven't figured out the LINK EDITOR which one needs to turn the output into an executable.

Interesting experience though, might come in handy when I come across clients with big System z or S/390 setups..