On the other hand, thanks! I'm going to suggest this for our system.. perhaps condense it to 'DiD" and wait to see how long it takes for them to notice..
No, I'm serious. It's the latest Trend (tm). Cut the IT production support budget, cut the IT staff, move the functions that used to be IT Prod support to business and let their budget handle it.
If you can't see the humour in seeing a business person make direct live updates to a database table in Production (IT doesn't have Production access.. but Business does.. [go figure]) then you probably can't see that SEV1 sailing in from over the horizon to make your day just that little bit more special.
As for business editing files directly in Production because the cost of having IT do it (process - backup file, edit file, copy file to prod with due authorisation, verify the change) can just be avoided.
After all, we don't really need to pay for Production Support and System Maintenance and Documentation. The system works without these things, doesn't it?
You need a facebook account to logon, but Mafia Wars is fairly good. It's not a linux specific game, the only requirements being a net connection, a web browser and a facebook logon, but it is better in Linux:-)
It is incredibly hard to "migrate" off of a mainframe--sometimes impossible.
Citation needed. Is this an assumption?
The main problem most have with 'getting off' is recording into another language on another platform. You also have the problem of reliability and support. The main reason why so much business back end is still in mainframe is that it works. Before you 'get off' you need somewhere to go. What do you suggest? Java on Windows?
For the last couple of decades may I know have taken a swipe at mainframe / cobol. In the end it comes down to that we still don't have a viable replacement. Call me when you find one.
----
I'll bite. Let's have a look at this. Is it impossible to migrate from mainframe to another platform? Breakdown: Code (cobol, delta, coolgen, ASM, java or similar). Database, interface, workflow / workload management CODE: COBOL (coolgen, delta, and other cobol generators) ---> Java, C#, C++ DATABASE: DB2 --> DB2, Oracle, SQL Server (*gasp* *gasp* *die*) INTERFACE: CICS --> HTTP (apache, IIS (*gasp* *gasp* *die*)) WORKFLOW: OPC / CONTROL-M --> TWS, Autosys, etc
Could another platform execute millions of transactions per hour? Yes. How much would it cost? In ASM, in Java? In C#? In C++? Can business logic be transferred or recoded into another language? Yes. Can the job scheduling be replicated on another platform? Yes Can the database be moved to another platform? Yes
So, what it really comes down to is cost. Yes, it might take a decade, perhaps two, to move off the mainframe an onto another platform. Yes, there are pros and cons for every platform and software / hardware configuration.
----
At this stage, many companies are moving into a world where all of the front end is C# or Java on midrange servers. Much of the batch processing is on the mainframe. After a few years of this the conclusion being drawn is that it would be cheaper to have a mainframe with many virtual linux server instances compared to hundreds of servers in a data center.
======
I still would like to know where you got the idea that you can't get off the mainframe. You can. It just costs.
-----
I don't work for IBM. I do use mainframes. Just so you know: What IBM are charging for (and yes, it is Steep I agree) is for the redundancy, the uptime and the service of having the machine up 24/7. You can pull ram and CPUs out of a mainframe or stick new ones in while it is still running. Mainframes can detect that parts need to be replaced. You are (effective) paying for the security that services will be provided, code will run, data will be processed and that if there is a problem it WILL be fixed.
If you know of a better service, a better way, a cheaper way or even just a direct equivalent.. then speak up. We are listing. Cost cutting is the new black.
Does this take into account recent (?) phenomenon such as the Mafia Wars game on Facebook?
Part of the object in this game is to gather a bigger 'mafia' with which your 'attack' and 'defense' is based. Each Mafia member needs to first be a 'friend' in facebook. Attempting this type of analysis in this situation couldn't possibly return useful results - unless you are looking to reason why someone added specific people to their mafia?:)
Perhaps they could just add a rule saying 'anyone with over 300 friends should not be evaluated in this manner'?
Hey, don't disparage the ponies! I'm waiting for the Goth April Fools where Taco announces that he's accepted a position with IBM and is now officially part of a Collective.
FPSes suck on a console, they just suck, the controls are terrible and ultimately very little can change that. A keyboard and mouse is a much better choice for that sort of gaming.
But how do you plan to fit four keyboards and four mice around a single TV in a social gaming scenario?
Easy. Remove the TV, put some tables in, get four monitors and computers plus associated bits and pieces, add a switch and frag to your hearts content.
Mindmanager is a very useful tool for brainstorming, blamestorming, knocking together documents, project plans, to do lists, and pretty much anything you need to throw together quickly.
It allows you to throw ideas together, move them around, assign markers and relationships and generally allows you to offload the actual thoughts and information instead of spending time thinking about how many rows you need in a table or in what order it needs to be in.
I've written documents in Word / Open Office Writer / Excel / Project / HTML for years.. and wasted a lot of time and lost a lot of thoughts. If I ever decided, or had to, write a book again this is the tool I would use to start with.
Note that I use mind manager at work every day for just about everything:) There is a free version as well called Freemind.
You can't just create a new city in the middle of nowhere and expect it to still exist a century later. I mean, come on, purposely building a city in the middle of nowhere? Who'd live there?
You seriously need to add the scene afterward where they explain to his boss that *Peter* is management material:)
Gah. Can't find it. Let's continue this thread (karma burn! why not, it's Friday:
Peter Gibbons: You see, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care. Bob Porter: Don't...don't care? Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now. Bob Porter: Eight? Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.
---
Art imitating life indeed.
Every time I hire someone I feel like giving them a copy of Office Space with a postit on the front saying "Learn"
Okay, anyone else here reminded of the Kingdom Hearts health... kill enemies and the drop an appropriate amount of health and mana orbs equal to their level.. and you can have x number of potions to back you up when required.
The system works really well - except that in the first part of the game you run around like a goonie picking up orbs.. whereas later in the game you get this nifty ability "treasure magnet" or similar that is like a whirlwind around you to automatically pick stuff up. Really really useful - no more spending a minute after each fight vainly trying to run over every health / mana orb you need. When you get the powerup for the TM it's really excellent - every fight has the chance to boost you to 70%+ health and mana. It can really suck when one party member needs health and another automatically picks up lots.. but besides that it's really good.
I can see the idea working for D3.. but even so I can't see it working without the ability to self heal in some fashion.
.. for many OSes including DOS and installed by default on mainframes, well IBM's anyway - OS/390 (et al) and z/OS (the latest incarnation). Your point here is valid: If it's installed by default then acceptance and usage is much more likely. How long does it take for something useful to be taken up and used everywhere?
I'd like to know why you believe that REXX was more successful on Amiga than, say, IBM's range of Mainframe OSes?
4. I have had once the mis-fortune of being left without a connection for a whole month and a half, by the retarded ISP and the lying retards at their tech support. (I could go into a whole whine, but let's just say that they _lied_ to me again and again for a whole month and a half.)
Assuming that you are in Australia...
That'll teach you for choosing TPG or Telstra as an ISP. Next time: More research
I've been planning a trip to Japan for some time now. A few things got in the way and I delayed the trip. Somehow I don't believe that I will now ever get to Japan as I don't care to go through this.
On the up side it does mean that when I do go overseas I'll be going somewhere that welcomes tourists.
Very few if any gamer systems aren't internet connected
Oh, great, lovely idea. I'm about to lose my home net connection for at least 3 months. If this was the norm then I would not be able to play during this time.
Let's add this to the Ravenshield 'check the connection every 10 seconds, whether it freezes the game or not' and you start wondering why you bother at all.
That said, I still play UT. One of the few games I am happy I bought, sad that I lost the disk, happy that I don't need one to play it.
Ever seen what happens to the lovely DVDs when kiddies play them hundreds of times, put them in / out of the player at the rate of at least once per DVD per day? Right.
Back up the disk, create a copy, use the copy until it dies; alternatively rip it to your drive and access it remotely to play to the TV.
No, not everyone is doing it right now.. but they will be soon. Waiting for the technology to catch up and make it easier.
I just created a new account with a throwaway email account to see. No, it doesn't obviously give you a method to opt out.
On this point: I don't have a facebook account either. A couple of friends sent me invites some time ago and I signed in with (yet another) throwaway email account to have a look. At the point where it demanded my birthday I thought,,|,, and left. Oh well.
Well, I have to say the timing sucks for me.. but it could be worse. At the moment I had plans drawn up, plane flights being discussed and dates being proposed for a Nice Holiday In Japan. I've yet to action the re-allocation of this plan.. but part of it will be to send a nice email to the Japanese Embassy in Canberra thanking them for their information and events over the last few years and advising them that I will never visit Japan to my great sorrow.
There goes my plan for a holiday in the next year or so. Thank you for the warning. Dear Japan: Please note that people currently avoid the US for this crap, and now we avoid you. As much as I'd love to visit the Land Of Anime.. No.
Slashdot Mirror
That is terrible.
On the other hand, thanks! I'm going to suggest this for our system.. perhaps condense it to 'DiD" and wait to see how long it takes for them to notice..
No, I'm serious. It's the latest Trend (tm).
Cut the IT production support budget, cut the IT staff, move the functions that used to be IT Prod support to business and let their budget handle it.
If you can't see the humour in seeing a business person make direct live updates to a database table in Production (IT doesn't have Production access.. but Business does .. [go figure]) then you probably can't see that SEV1 sailing in from over the horizon to make your day just that little bit more special.
As for business editing files directly in Production because the cost of having IT do it (process - backup file, edit file, copy file to prod with due authorisation, verify the change) can just be avoided.
After all, we don't really need to pay for Production Support and System Maintenance and Documentation. The system works without these things, doesn't it?
What could possibly go wrong?
You are talking about the zIIP and zAAP processors. Strangely enough, IBM has gotten onto the bandwagon there and now offers them as an option.
However, if you really want to talk about FUD and Sales Reps let's discuss CA. Even better, let's not.
You need a facebook account to logon, but Mafia Wars is fairly good. It's not a linux specific game, the only requirements being a net connection, a web browser and a facebook logon, but it is better in Linux :-)
Citation needed. Is this an assumption?
The main problem most have with 'getting off' is recording into another language on another platform. You also have the problem of reliability and support. The main reason why so much business back end is still in mainframe is that it works. Before you 'get off' you need somewhere to go. What do you suggest? Java on Windows?
For the last couple of decades may I know have taken a swipe at mainframe / cobol. In the end it comes down to that we still don't have a viable replacement. Call me when you find one.
----
I'll bite. Let's have a look at this. Is it impossible to migrate from mainframe to another platform?
Breakdown: Code (cobol, delta, coolgen, ASM, java or similar). Database, interface, workflow / workload management
CODE: COBOL (coolgen, delta, and other cobol generators) ---> Java, C#, C++
DATABASE: DB2 --> DB2, Oracle, SQL Server (*gasp* *gasp* *die*)
INTERFACE: CICS --> HTTP (apache, IIS (*gasp* *gasp* *die*))
WORKFLOW: OPC / CONTROL-M --> TWS, Autosys, etc
Could another platform execute millions of transactions per hour? Yes. How much would it cost? In ASM, in Java? In C#? In C++?
Can business logic be transferred or recoded into another language? Yes.
Can the job scheduling be replicated on another platform? Yes
Can the database be moved to another platform? Yes
So, what it really comes down to is cost. Yes, it might take a decade, perhaps two, to move off the mainframe an onto another platform. Yes, there are pros and cons for every platform and software / hardware configuration.
----
At this stage, many companies are moving into a world where all of the front end is C# or Java on midrange servers. Much of the batch processing is on the mainframe. After a few years of this the conclusion being drawn is that it would be cheaper to have a mainframe with many virtual linux server instances compared to hundreds of servers in a data center.
======
I still would like to know where you got the idea that you can't get off the mainframe. You can. It just costs.
-----
I don't work for IBM. I do use mainframes. Just so you know: What IBM are charging for (and yes, it is Steep I agree) is for the redundancy, the uptime and the service of having the machine up 24/7. You can pull ram and CPUs out of a mainframe or stick new ones in while it is still running. Mainframes can detect that parts need to be replaced. You are (effective) paying for the security that services will be provided, code will run, data will be processed and that if there is a problem it WILL be fixed.
If you know of a better service, a better way, a cheaper way or even just a direct equivalent.. then speak up. We are listing. Cost cutting is the new black.
Does this take into account recent (?) phenomenon such as the Mafia Wars game on Facebook?
Part of the object in this game is to gather a bigger 'mafia' with which your 'attack' and 'defense' is based. Each Mafia member needs to first be a 'friend' in facebook. Attempting this type of analysis in this situation couldn't possibly return useful results - unless you are looking to reason why someone added specific people to their mafia? :)
Perhaps they could just add a rule saying 'anyone with over 300 friends should not be evaluated in this manner'?
Hey, don't disparage the ponies!
I'm waiting for the Goth April Fools where Taco announces that he's accepted a position with IBM and is now officially part of a Collective.
FPSes suck on a console, they just suck, the controls are terrible and ultimately very little can change that. A keyboard and mouse is a much better choice for that sort of gaming.
But how do you plan to fit four keyboards and four mice around a single TV in a social gaming scenario?
Easy. Remove the TV, put some tables in, get four monitors and computers plus associated bits and pieces, add a switch and frag to your hearts content.
Mindmanager is a very useful tool for brainstorming, blamestorming, knocking together documents, project plans, to do lists, and pretty much anything you need to throw together quickly.
It allows you to throw ideas together, move them around, assign markers and relationships and generally allows you to offload the actual thoughts and information instead of spending time thinking about how many rows you need in a table or in what order it needs to be in.
I've written documents in Word / Open Office Writer / Excel / Project / HTML for years .. and wasted a lot of time and lost a lot of thoughts. If I ever decided, or had to, write a book again this is the tool I would use to start with.
Note that I use mind manager at work every day for just about everything :) There is a free version as well called Freemind.
Mandarin or Cantonese?
Right. Fixed that for you.
You can't just create a new city in the middle of nowhere and expect it to still exist a century later. I mean, come on, purposely building a city in the middle of nowhere? Who'd live there?
Quake?
You seriously need to add the scene afterward where they explain to his boss that *Peter* is management material :)
Gah. Can't find it. Let's continue this thread (karma burn! why not, it's Friday:
Peter Gibbons: You see, Bob, it's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care.
Bob Porter: Don't...don't care?
Peter Gibbons: It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime, so where's the motivation? And here's another thing, I have eight different bosses right now.
Bob Porter: Eight?
Peter Gibbons: Eight, Bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that, and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired.
---
Art imitating life indeed.
Every time I hire someone I feel like giving them a copy of Office Space with a postit on the front saying "Learn"
I would start by hunting Jellyfish - http://www.bluestar.com.au/jelly.php
Okay, anyone else here reminded of the Kingdom Hearts health... kill enemies and the drop an appropriate amount of health and mana orbs equal to their level.. and you can have x number of potions to back you up when required.
The system works really well - except that in the first part of the game you run around like a goonie picking up orbs.. whereas later in the game you get this nifty ability "treasure magnet" or similar that is like a whirlwind around you to automatically pick stuff up. Really really useful - no more spending a minute after each fight vainly trying to run over every health / mana orb you need. When you get the powerup for the TM it's really excellent - every fight has the chance to boost you to 70%+ health and mana. It can really suck when one party member needs health and another automatically picks up lots.. but besides that it's really good.
I can see the idea working for D3.. but even so I can't see it working without the ability to self heal in some fashion.
.. for many OSes including DOS and installed by default on mainframes, well IBM's anyway - OS/390 (et al) and z/OS (the latest incarnation).
Your point here is valid: If it's installed by default then acceptance and usage is much more likely. How long does it take for something useful to be taken up and used everywhere?
I'd like to know why you believe that REXX was more successful on Amiga than, say, IBM's range of Mainframe OSes?
Assuming that you are in Australia...
That'll teach you for choosing TPG or Telstra as an ISP. Next time: More research
I've been planning a trip to Japan for some time now. A few things got in the way and I delayed the trip. Somehow I don't believe that I will now ever get to Japan as I don't care to go through this.
On the up side it does mean that when I do go overseas I'll be going somewhere that welcomes tourists.
Oh, great, lovely idea. I'm about to lose my home net connection for at least 3 months. If this was the norm then I would not be able to play during this time.
Let's add this to the Ravenshield 'check the connection every 10 seconds, whether it freezes the game or not' and you start wondering why you bother at all.
That said, I still play UT. One of the few games I am happy I bought, sad that I lost the disk, happy that I don't need one to play it.
Ever seen what happens to the lovely DVDs when kiddies play them hundreds of times, put them in / out of the player at the rate of at least once per DVD per day?
Right.
Back up the disk, create a copy, use the copy until it dies; alternatively rip it to your drive and access it remotely to play to the TV.
No, not everyone is doing it right now.. but they will be soon. Waiting for the technology to catch up and make it easier.
I just created a new account with a throwaway email account to see. No, it doesn't obviously give you a method to opt out.
,,|,, and left. Oh well.
On this point: I don't have a facebook account either. A couple of friends sent me invites some time ago and I signed in with (yet another) throwaway email account to have a look. At the point where it demanded my birthday I thought
Well, I have to say the timing sucks for me.. but it could be worse. At the moment I had plans drawn up, plane flights being discussed and dates being proposed for a Nice Holiday In Japan. I've yet to action the re-allocation of this plan.. but part of it will be to send a nice email to the Japanese Embassy in Canberra thanking them for their information and events over the last few years and advising them that I will never visit Japan to my great sorrow.
There goes my plan for a holiday in the next year or so. Thank you for the warning.
Dear Japan: Please note that people currently avoid the US for this crap, and now we avoid you.
As much as I'd love to visit the Land Of Anime.. No.
No, the DRM will disable the print screen key while the comic is being viewed...