I'm a mainframe professional, and basically they never fail. They're over engineered, no cheap off the shelf parts for them, because if you're a Fortune 500 company running your most profitable computing infrastructure on mainframes, where downtime measured in seconds can result in billions of dollars in losses or fines, the money spent is well worth it.
Would the Federalist Papers ever seen the light of day if Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay were required to identify themselves instead of using the pseudonym "Publius"?
Anonymous speech, whether in print or electrons is vital to our freedoms.
I’m almost 55 doing IT for 33 years, but I’ve found my niche. I’m one of maybe a handful of people in my company who knows the difference between a load and a load address instruction. I don’t program much any longer, but my knowledge of the mainframe is very wide. People trust me, know that I don’t BS them.
Sure, they could, in theory, find someone to replace me, but not at 1/2 my price and anyone who’d take my place wouldn’t be able to fill my shoes for years and years.
I've been in IT for 33 years, mostly as a zOS Systems Programmer, never in any management position but I do direct my team in a technical direction. Good assembler programers are oh so valuable, since it’s a nearly dead art, but when it’s needed, it’s needed.
I once had a manager ask me about a systems outage. I responded in general terms about the event. The manager wasn't satisfied with my responses and wanted further details.
I provided said manager with all the gory details, down to bits/bytes/control block overlay information, with a detailed action plan involving lists of PTF's to be applied, modules being effected, and so on.
Said manager walked away with a stunned look on his face. Never asked me again.
I'm a zOS systems programmer with over 32 years experience. I'm in my early 50's with only two jobs under my belt (16 years in both positions). I'm very well paid, and worth every cent.
When system down time is measured in thousands of dollars lost per minute down, and I'm tasked with maintaining our 99.999% availability requirements, you gotta pay the price.
Someone right out of college, or with only a few years of experience, while less expensive than I am, wouldn't be able to do a fraction of the experienced based tasks that I do on a daily basis to achieve this availability.
I'm going on a 16 day road trip later this month. I'll have my cell phone but I'm not going to be able to VPN into work while driving. Last year I took some time off and received work related phone calls, including requests to join conference calls 7 of my 9 days off.
We're understaffed and there's very limited backup support for the high level technical support staff.
Slashdot Mirror
I'm a mainframe professional, and basically they never fail. They're over engineered, no cheap off the shelf parts for them, because if you're a Fortune 500 company running your most profitable computing infrastructure on mainframes, where downtime measured in seconds can result in billions of dollars in losses or fines, the money spent is well worth it.
If they're smart enough not to enable network connectivity to the scanning computers.
Nothing to see here, move along.
What shape best describes the Earth?
Obama: Oblate spheroid
Romney: Flat
As an IT professional with 33 years experience you're 100% right. Another fine example of management by magazine, or in this case web site.
And the world cares, why?
Would the Federalist Papers ever seen the light of day if Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay were required to identify themselves instead of using the pseudonym "Publius"?
Anonymous speech, whether in print or electrons is vital to our freedoms.
I’m almost 55 doing IT for 33 years, but I’ve found my niche. I’m one of maybe a handful of people in my company who knows the difference between a load and a load address instruction. I don’t program much any longer, but my knowledge of the mainframe is very wide. People trust me, know that I don’t BS them.
Sure, they could, in theory, find someone to replace me, but not at 1/2 my price and anyone who’d take my place wouldn’t be able to fill my shoes for years and years.
I've been in IT for 33 years, mostly as a zOS Systems Programmer, never in any management position but I do direct my team in a technical direction. Good assembler programers are oh so valuable, since it’s a nearly dead art, but when it’s needed, it’s needed.
I agree with you, but I was trying to make a point about our elected and appointed public servants.
There are, but four of them voted against Citizens United.
How many people don't think that money in politics is a bad thing? I believe the answer is 541.
435 members of the House of Representatives.
100 members of the Senate.
5 judges on the Supreme Court
1 President of the United States.
I once had a manager ask me about a systems outage. I responded in general terms about the event. The manager wasn't satisfied with my responses and wanted further details.
I provided said manager with all the gory details, down to bits/bytes/control block overlay information, with a detailed action plan involving lists of PTF's to be applied, modules being effected, and so on.
Said manager walked away with a stunned look on his face. Never asked me again.
10 Print "I've got lots of money"
20 goto 10
30 end
It’s cheaper. Nuff said.
Paraphrased from Mark Twain, Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were the Governor of Florida. But I repeat myself.
We don't serve faster than light particles here.
A neutrino walks into a bar.
Pi goes on and on
and E is just as cursed
I wonder which is larger
When their digits are reversed
Hammerfall!!!
Sammy: Sol, You’re selling chickens for less than you’re paying for them. How do you make a profit?
Sol: One word, volume!
I wonder how many banks have not published the story that a Rogue Trader has made a $2 Billion profit while making unauthorized trades?
The book that started it all.
You can ask it here. I'll try to answer.
I'm a zOS systems programmer with over 32 years experience. I'm in my early 50's with only two jobs under my belt (16 years in both positions). I'm very well paid, and worth every cent.
When system down time is measured in thousands of dollars lost per minute down, and I'm tasked with maintaining our 99.999% availability requirements, you gotta pay the price.
Someone right out of college, or with only a few years of experience, while less expensive than I am, wouldn't be able to do a fraction of the experienced based tasks that I do on a daily basis to achieve this availability.
I worked my ass off most of last year, didn't get a spot bonus and they thought a 3% raise was generous.
I'm going on a 16 day road trip later this month. I'll have my cell phone but I'm not going to be able to VPN into work while driving. Last year I took some time off and received work related phone calls, including requests to join conference calls 7 of my 9 days off.
We're understaffed and there's very limited backup support for the high level technical support staff.