7 April 1964 saw the announcement of the IBM System/360 mainframe – making it 45 years old (and a month and a few days). So, happy belated birthday mainframe. If you were around at the time, you were probably more impressed by the fact that during the week of 4 April 1964, The Beatles held ten positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, including the top five positions. As a side note, this has never been matched by any other artist. And the song titles were “Can't Buy Me Love”, “Twist and Shout, “She Loves You, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, and “Please Please Me” – but I digress!
It’s hard to remember those pre-mainframe days, but IBM was selling computers – and so were a number of other companies. Plus, IBM had different non-compatible and competing systems. You may about now be getting a strange feeling of déjà vu! Anyway, worse still in those days was that upgrades weren’t backward compatible, which meant users had to buy new software and peripherals in order to upgrade. Systems/360 was meant to solve these technical problems while also reviving IBM’s bottom line. The way it did this was to utilize Solid Logic Technology (SLT) – an early attempt at an integrated circuit. The other big decision at the time was for IBM to manufacture the chips and the peripherals themselves.
The other successful big leap was the development of a new operating system. This they claimed did everything and was like a circle in that it covered 360 degrees – hence the name System/360. It was the marketing team who updated it for the 1970s as System/370 and for the 90s as System/390. The original operating system proved to be very expensive and ended up being three operating systems – Basic Operating System (BOS), Tape Operating System (TOS), and Disk Operating System (DOS).
The rest, as they say, is history. IBM boasted at the time that its new hardware would ensure compatibility when moving forward – meaning that quite ancient programs will still run. Nowadays, of course, everything begins with the letter z – until that becomes old hat and something new comes from the marketers.
IBM’s share price has had some bad times, and the talk about the death of the mainframe will soon be reaching its 20th birthday. But mainframes continue to more than satisfy the needs of so many users. And all the talk of cloud computing and virtualization simply lets mainframers explain how they’ve been doing that sort of thing for ages. The mainframe doesn’t suit all customers, and IBM introduced the AS/400 and RS/6000 to plug the gaps. Which in turn led to the ECLipz project to make the different product lines from the same components. They also gave us the ill-fated and short-lived OS/2, which by way of personalities leaving IBM at the time led to Citrix the company that can virtualize Windows desktops and offer certain mainframe-like advantages to customers.
So happy belated birthday mainframe – I look forward to a big celebration in 2014 on the 7th April when it celebrates its 50th birthday.
Monday, 25 May 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
CA upgrades its mainframe software
CA, one of the largest mainframe software vendors around (but I didn’t need to tell you that), has upgraded 143 of its 166 mainframe management solutions – products to you and I. This is all part of CA’s Mainframe 2.0 initiative.
CA has announced CA Mainframe Software Manager (MSM), which is a tool that simplifies the implementation of CA software on z/OS. MSM also detects product maintenance as the need arises. This addresses the problem of experienced mainframers growing old and retiring because the tasks can be performed by less experienced mainframe professionals. MSM features a Web-based user interface implemented using the Google Web Toolkit (GWT).
In addition, 46 CA products, including OPS/MVS Event Management, Automation, NetMaster, and InterTest, now have a synchronized release stack to reduce multiple learning curves by using best practices to standardize installation, planning, and implementation cycles – says CA.
CA has also introduced a service called Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) to speed up the installation of their software without needing to build a physical tape.
Anything that makes life easier for mainframers has got to be welcomed. It will be interesting to see how BMC and other major vendors respond.
CA’s Bob Gordon sent me the following – which might be of interest:
“An interesting sidelight to the Mainframe 2.0 story is the fact that CA has been staffing our Mainframe Business Unit with developers with next-generation skill sets such as Java and C++. These developers have grown up with the same browser-centric view of the world as their counterparts on the corporate side. So they’re both technically and culturally qualified to deliver the management solutions their peers need to steward the mainframe through the next few decades of its evolution.
“We have a three-minute video that can quickly get you up to speed on this issue at: http://www.ca.com/us/products/collateral.aspx?cid=205017.”
CA has announced CA Mainframe Software Manager (MSM), which is a tool that simplifies the implementation of CA software on z/OS. MSM also detects product maintenance as the need arises. This addresses the problem of experienced mainframers growing old and retiring because the tasks can be performed by less experienced mainframe professionals. MSM features a Web-based user interface implemented using the Google Web Toolkit (GWT).
In addition, 46 CA products, including OPS/MVS Event Management, Automation, NetMaster, and InterTest, now have a synchronized release stack to reduce multiple learning curves by using best practices to standardize installation, planning, and implementation cycles – says CA.
CA has also introduced a service called Electronic Software Delivery (ESD) to speed up the installation of their software without needing to build a physical tape.
Anything that makes life easier for mainframers has got to be welcomed. It will be interesting to see how BMC and other major vendors respond.
CA’s Bob Gordon sent me the following – which might be of interest:
“An interesting sidelight to the Mainframe 2.0 story is the fact that CA has been staffing our Mainframe Business Unit with developers with next-generation skill sets such as Java and C++. These developers have grown up with the same browser-centric view of the world as their counterparts on the corporate side. So they’re both technically and culturally qualified to deliver the management solutions their peers need to steward the mainframe through the next few decades of its evolution.
“We have a three-minute video that can quickly get you up to speed on this issue at: http://www.ca.com/us/products/collateral.aspx?cid=205017.”
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Trevor Eddolls - IBM Data Champion
Last Thursday (7 May 2009), IBM announced the second round of IBM Data Champions to join the original group of 23 non-IBMers who were awarded the honour last October. The new group of people includes Trevor Eddolls.
Full details of the awards can be found at ibm.com/software/data/champion/ along with a list of the Champions and more information about them.
From the profile of Trevor Eddolls we learn that he is a qualified teacher and has a BA. He has worked with IBM mainframes since 1979. He has written and delivered numerous IT-related training courses, and has chaired and been a guest speaker at numerous seminars and Webinars. For many years he was the editor-in-chief for Xephon’s highly regarded Update publications, which included CICS Update, MVS Update, DB2 Update, and many others. Trevor has written three books entitled VM Performance Management, Introduction to VM, and ASO: Automated Systems Operations for MVS.
In 2004 Trevor Eddolls set up his own company, iTech-Ed Ltd (www.itech-ed.com), which focuses on writing and editing about mainframe computing, as well as offering consultancy, training, and Web design and development. Trevor has had numerous articles published in various technical journals, including zJournal and Mainframe Executive, and on different Web sites such as TechieCrossing and AccountingWeb. He has also written a number of White Papers and internal documentation for various software vendors.
More recently Trevor has been responsible for the production and editing of the Arcati Mainframe Yearbook (www.arcati.com), which is described as the one-stop independent reference work for users of IBM mainframe systems. He also runs the Virtual IMS Connection (www.virtualims.com) Web site – the independently-operated vendor-neutral site run by and for the IMS user community. He chairs the regular Webinars and writes and edits the regular user group newsletter.
As well as mainframe expertise, Trevor is very familiar with PCs. He is a Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor (MOS MI). As well as reading his blog, you can follow him on Twitter at t_eddolls.
Amongst his hobbies, Trevor lists hypnotherapy, playing guitar, swimming, and juggling. He also enjoys collecting whiskies.
You can read his full entry at ibm.com/software/data/champion/profiles/eddolls.html.
You can e-mail Trevor Eddolls at trevor@itech-ed.com
Full details of the awards can be found at ibm.com/software/data/champion/ along with a list of the Champions and more information about them.
From the profile of Trevor Eddolls we learn that he is a qualified teacher and has a BA. He has worked with IBM mainframes since 1979. He has written and delivered numerous IT-related training courses, and has chaired and been a guest speaker at numerous seminars and Webinars. For many years he was the editor-in-chief for Xephon’s highly regarded Update publications, which included CICS Update, MVS Update, DB2 Update, and many others. Trevor has written three books entitled VM Performance Management, Introduction to VM, and ASO: Automated Systems Operations for MVS.
In 2004 Trevor Eddolls set up his own company, iTech-Ed Ltd (www.itech-ed.com), which focuses on writing and editing about mainframe computing, as well as offering consultancy, training, and Web design and development. Trevor has had numerous articles published in various technical journals, including zJournal and Mainframe Executive, and on different Web sites such as TechieCrossing and AccountingWeb. He has also written a number of White Papers and internal documentation for various software vendors.
More recently Trevor has been responsible for the production and editing of the Arcati Mainframe Yearbook (www.arcati.com), which is described as the one-stop independent reference work for users of IBM mainframe systems. He also runs the Virtual IMS Connection (www.virtualims.com) Web site – the independently-operated vendor-neutral site run by and for the IMS user community. He chairs the regular Webinars and writes and edits the regular user group newsletter.
As well as mainframe expertise, Trevor is very familiar with PCs. He is a Microsoft Office Specialist Master Instructor (MOS MI). As well as reading his blog, you can follow him on Twitter at t_eddolls.
Amongst his hobbies, Trevor lists hypnotherapy, playing guitar, swimming, and juggling. He also enjoys collecting whiskies.
You can read his full entry at ibm.com/software/data/champion/profiles/eddolls.html.
You can e-mail Trevor Eddolls at trevor@itech-ed.com
Monday, 4 May 2009
IBM in Jeopardy
It all started with Big Blue, the IBM chess computer that played and disputedly beat chess grand master Gary Kasparov, but now, those fun-loving people at IBM are planning to play Jeopardy against real people, possibly including 74-times champion Ken Jennings.
For non-US-based readers, Jeopardy is a trivia quiz requiring a knowledge of history, literature, the arts, pop culture, and science (thanks again Wikipedia). What makes Jeopardy different from standard question-and-answer quizzes is that contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in the form of a question! Jeopardy was launched in 1964, and the current version of the TV show has been going since 1984.
The IBM computer is going to be called Watson, after the founder of IBM. What makes this challenge greater than playing chess is that the computer will need to understand human questions and respond to them correctly. IBM's John Kelly, Senior VP and Director of Research said, “What we're doing is creating a system that will be able to applied to all sorts of applications in the world, and essentially cut the time to find answers to very difficult problems”. As the New York Times says, “The software must interact with humans on their own terms, and fast”. David A Ferrucci, an IBM. artificial intelligence researcher, said, “The big goal is to get computers to be able to converse in human terms. And we’re not there yet.”
Now, you’re probably thinking that the biggest problem will be recognizing human speech. After all, we’ve all tried Dragon Dictate and similar software and found it’s best guess at the words we’ve used to be sometimes very wide of the mark. Well, the IBMers have thought of that and they have a solution – the questions will be presented as electronic text. However, the computer will answer using a synthesized voice.
To make the competition fairer, Watson won’t be hooked up to the Internet so it can look up any answers, it will have it’s own internal database of knowledge. Yes, that definitely sounds fairer to me!!
Also according to the New York Times, “the system must be able to deal with analogies, puns, double entendres, and relationships like size and location, all at lightning speed”.
It does seem like a more fascinating challenge than simply asking a computer to look up an answer in its database. The question I keep asking myself is whether I want a computer that’s able to converse in human terms. Sorry C-3PO, give me R2-D2. At least you know where you are then.
And good luck to any humans who take on Watson at Jeopardy. You can always complain it wasn’t fair if you lose – like Kasparov did and demand a rematch.
For non-US-based readers, Jeopardy is a trivia quiz requiring a knowledge of history, literature, the arts, pop culture, and science (thanks again Wikipedia). What makes Jeopardy different from standard question-and-answer quizzes is that contestants are presented with clues in the form of answers, and must phrase their responses in the form of a question! Jeopardy was launched in 1964, and the current version of the TV show has been going since 1984.
The IBM computer is going to be called Watson, after the founder of IBM. What makes this challenge greater than playing chess is that the computer will need to understand human questions and respond to them correctly. IBM's John Kelly, Senior VP and Director of Research said, “What we're doing is creating a system that will be able to applied to all sorts of applications in the world, and essentially cut the time to find answers to very difficult problems”. As the New York Times says, “The software must interact with humans on their own terms, and fast”. David A Ferrucci, an IBM. artificial intelligence researcher, said, “The big goal is to get computers to be able to converse in human terms. And we’re not there yet.”
Now, you’re probably thinking that the biggest problem will be recognizing human speech. After all, we’ve all tried Dragon Dictate and similar software and found it’s best guess at the words we’ve used to be sometimes very wide of the mark. Well, the IBMers have thought of that and they have a solution – the questions will be presented as electronic text. However, the computer will answer using a synthesized voice.
To make the competition fairer, Watson won’t be hooked up to the Internet so it can look up any answers, it will have it’s own internal database of knowledge. Yes, that definitely sounds fairer to me!!
Also according to the New York Times, “the system must be able to deal with analogies, puns, double entendres, and relationships like size and location, all at lightning speed”.
It does seem like a more fascinating challenge than simply asking a computer to look up an answer in its database. The question I keep asking myself is whether I want a computer that’s able to converse in human terms. Sorry C-3PO, give me R2-D2. At least you know where you are then.
And good luck to any humans who take on Watson at Jeopardy. You can always complain it wasn’t fair if you lose – like Kasparov did and demand a rematch.
Monday, 27 April 2009
IBM, Sun, and Oracle
It was only the other week that I was happily predicting what would happen when IBM bought Sun Microsystems. Looking at points of synergy and whatever the opposite of synergy is (if you know, do e-mail me). Then the next time I look round, I find IBM has dropped out and Oracle has stepped in. So what’s going on?
It seems IBM went off the idea of buying Sun, and even after Sun came back hoping for a second chance, IBM felt that such a deal could lead to long anti-trust cases around the globe. So unlike the man from Del Monte, they said no.
So, the story is that Oracle has an agreement to acquire Sun for $7.4 billion. The total value of the deal includes the stock, the purchase of Sun's cash reserves, and the assumption of debt. According to Oracle, the acquisition will cost them $5.6 billion, net of Sun's cash and debt. The deal prices Sun’s shares at $9.50 – a 42 percent premium over the closing price the previous Friday evening.
Oracle is quite bullish about what they can do with Sun financially, saying it expects to add at least 15 cents to its bottom line in the first year after the deal closes (a summer wedding, apparently). Oracle also expects to add $1.5 billion to operating profit in the first year and more than $2 billion in the second year.
You might ask what a software company like Oracle wants with a hardware company like Sun Microsystems, but, of course, there’s much more to Sun than hardware. Oracle already uses Sun's Java software and language in some of its products, including its Fusion Middleware business, and Oracle uses the Solaris operating system for its database business. So perhaps more synergy than you might think at first.
Sun currently employs 33,000 people, while Oracle has 86,000. There have been no announcements of redundancies.
The announcement was full of all the usual warm fuzzy comments about close partnerships and natural evolution. Oracle has never had hardware before – being a software company. But the acquisition will give it access to some users that currently aren’t using Oracle products.
Of course, another way of looking at the takeover is that it combines two organizations that have strongly disputed the Microsoft onslaught. Perhaps this will make them stronger and bolder. And this led me to wondering what if Microsoft had bought Sun? After all, a move into hardware wouldn’t be too big a leap. Then Microsoft would “own” Solaris and Java – which they might very well kill off in order to make Windows and .Net the only games in town. I’m sure if Larry Ellison thought of that possibility, he’d have bought Sun as a pre-emptive strike just to stop his auld enemy from getting their hands on it.
All in all, an interesting development.
It seems IBM went off the idea of buying Sun, and even after Sun came back hoping for a second chance, IBM felt that such a deal could lead to long anti-trust cases around the globe. So unlike the man from Del Monte, they said no.
So, the story is that Oracle has an agreement to acquire Sun for $7.4 billion. The total value of the deal includes the stock, the purchase of Sun's cash reserves, and the assumption of debt. According to Oracle, the acquisition will cost them $5.6 billion, net of Sun's cash and debt. The deal prices Sun’s shares at $9.50 – a 42 percent premium over the closing price the previous Friday evening.
Oracle is quite bullish about what they can do with Sun financially, saying it expects to add at least 15 cents to its bottom line in the first year after the deal closes (a summer wedding, apparently). Oracle also expects to add $1.5 billion to operating profit in the first year and more than $2 billion in the second year.
You might ask what a software company like Oracle wants with a hardware company like Sun Microsystems, but, of course, there’s much more to Sun than hardware. Oracle already uses Sun's Java software and language in some of its products, including its Fusion Middleware business, and Oracle uses the Solaris operating system for its database business. So perhaps more synergy than you might think at first.
Sun currently employs 33,000 people, while Oracle has 86,000. There have been no announcements of redundancies.
The announcement was full of all the usual warm fuzzy comments about close partnerships and natural evolution. Oracle has never had hardware before – being a software company. But the acquisition will give it access to some users that currently aren’t using Oracle products.
Of course, another way of looking at the takeover is that it combines two organizations that have strongly disputed the Microsoft onslaught. Perhaps this will make them stronger and bolder. And this led me to wondering what if Microsoft had bought Sun? After all, a move into hardware wouldn’t be too big a leap. Then Microsoft would “own” Solaris and Java – which they might very well kill off in order to make Windows and .Net the only games in town. I’m sure if Larry Ellison thought of that possibility, he’d have bought Sun as a pre-emptive strike just to stop his auld enemy from getting their hands on it.
All in all, an interesting development.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Magix Music Maker 15
Everyone enjoys being creative - it's a great way to take a break from the stresses and strains associated with work - and just about everyone likes music, so software that allows you to be creative and create music must be a winner. Magix has just released Version 15 of its Music Maker software, which does just that. Take a break, create a tune, and return to your real job refreshed and re-enthused.
So what kind of software is Music Maker 15? Well, at its simplest, it allows the user to combine pre-recorded sample loops together to make new and interesting sounds.
When you first start, the top half of the screen is empty, waiting for you to add your music loops to it:
You go to the styles selection on the left-hand side and decide whether you want Ambient, Chillout, etc. I chose Rock Alternative. Next to that are the musical instruments available with that style, and next to that are the loops available with that instrument. You find a suitable name and listen to the loop. If it sounds right, you can drag it up into the top half of the screen. That's what I've done here:
I've added loops for the drum track, the bass guitar, the lead guitar, keyboard, pads, and synthesizer. Some instruments have more loops to choose from than others, and there's nothing to stop you changing the style during the creation process. I'm showing only 12 bars of my tune, you can, of course, have more. You could also have more instruments, up to 64 of them.
Moving from Easymode (a click at the top-left of the screen) makes a number of new options available
Clicking on the Synthesizer option in the bottom half of the screen makes a number of synthesisers available to you including LiviD (shown below), Vita, and Beatbox. These can provide exciting drum samples that can be used in your own new tune.
Clicking on the Templates option brings up lots of advanced features. One of these is Audio effects. This provides things like echo and guitar reverb.
Further down the options are Visuals. This allows you to drag a video track to play alongside the audio track.
Clicking on the sound wave for a particular loop, give you the opportunity to modify it. The following screen appears:
Plenty of choices here of ways to modify the existing sound.
You might think, with so many features it might be difficult to use, but it provides an "infobox" that gives information as you mouseover a button - so you know what it does. The software also starts in EasyMode, you can get the hang of the basics before rushing on the more adventurous stuff. It's pretty easy to use, and it's a great deal of fun. Whether a professional musician would use it, I'm not sure, but if you're looking to have fun with music (and add visuals etc), then it is definitely worth having a serious look at. I liked it, and I would recommend it. If nothing else, it certainly makes a great break from the daily grind!
So what kind of software is Music Maker 15? Well, at its simplest, it allows the user to combine pre-recorded sample loops together to make new and interesting sounds.
When you first start, the top half of the screen is empty, waiting for you to add your music loops to it:
You go to the styles selection on the left-hand side and decide whether you want Ambient, Chillout, etc. I chose Rock Alternative. Next to that are the musical instruments available with that style, and next to that are the loops available with that instrument. You find a suitable name and listen to the loop. If it sounds right, you can drag it up into the top half of the screen. That's what I've done here:
I've added loops for the drum track, the bass guitar, the lead guitar, keyboard, pads, and synthesizer. Some instruments have more loops to choose from than others, and there's nothing to stop you changing the style during the creation process. I'm showing only 12 bars of my tune, you can, of course, have more. You could also have more instruments, up to 64 of them.
Moving from Easymode (a click at the top-left of the screen) makes a number of new options available
Clicking on the Synthesizer option in the bottom half of the screen makes a number of synthesisers available to you including LiviD (shown below), Vita, and Beatbox. These can provide exciting drum samples that can be used in your own new tune.
Clicking on the Templates option brings up lots of advanced features. One of these is Audio effects. This provides things like echo and guitar reverb.
Further down the options are Visuals. This allows you to drag a video track to play alongside the audio track.
Clicking on the sound wave for a particular loop, give you the opportunity to modify it. The following screen appears:
Plenty of choices here of ways to modify the existing sound.
You might think, with so many features it might be difficult to use, but it provides an "infobox" that gives information as you mouseover a button - so you know what it does. The software also starts in EasyMode, you can get the hang of the basics before rushing on the more adventurous stuff. It's pretty easy to use, and it's a great deal of fun. Whether a professional musician would use it, I'm not sure, but if you're looking to have fun with music (and add visuals etc), then it is definitely worth having a serious look at. I liked it, and I would recommend it. If nothing else, it certainly makes a great break from the daily grind!
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Mainframe compilers
I hold my hand up to being quite ignorant about mainframe compilers. To be honest I thought of them as nothing more than a tool that you used at the appropriate time and then put back in your toolbox – like a pair of pliers that you use and then put back with the other tools until the next time you need it. Not something that you give much thought to – except when you need it.
And (can I make my ignorance seem even worse!), I assumed that everyone used compilers provided by IBM, so their code ran on IBM mainframes. And I guess, I assumed that everyone just paid IBM for the privilege.
Like everyone else, I knew that a compiler is a computer program that’s used to transform source code written in a higher-level computer language like COBOL or Assembler (which I know is pretty close to machine code) into object code that could then be executed on the mainframe (or other platform).
But I recently discovered that there are other companies in the compiler marketplace.
Dignus, at dignus.com/, has Systems/ASM, its Assembler compiler, which is now at Version 1.80. This can be used to create Linux/390 and z/Linux programs from traditional ASM source, allowing for an easier transition to Linux on the mainframe. Systems/ASM can assemble existing code as unchanged as possible (no new instructions or psuedo-ops to use) and also has complete support for debugging with the native Linux tools. The company also claims that Systems/ASM Assembler software allows users to develop mainframe applications, in IBM Assembler language, on a mainframe, or on Unix and Windows workstations. Systems/ASM generates object code for all IBM zSeries operating systems, including Linux for S/390 and zSeries, z/OS, OS/390, VSE, z/VSE, VM, z/VM, TPF, and z/TPF.
A company called Syspoint (www.syspointusa.com/) offers Syspoint Virtual Compilers. The company suggests that they are suited to companies with two or more mainframes. They go on to suggest that they can be thought of as “cloud compiling”, only in-house.
So, how does it work? According to the company, a virtual compiler is a program that functions equivalently to an actual compiler but does not require that the actual compiler be installed or licensed on the machine on which it runs. The Syspoint Virtual Compiler utilizes FTP to transmit the user’s source code to another mainframe (on which the actual compiler is installed), compiles it there, and returns the output of the actual compiler (system messages, listing, object code, etc) to the user’s specified target datasets.
So users no longer need the IBM compiler and can save on that cost, while paying less money to Syspoint.
There’s also zCobol, available from www.zcobol.org/. zCOBOL is an open source portable mainframe COBOL compiler available as part of the z390 open source portable mainframe Assembler for Windows or Linux. Users can download z390 and zcobol in InstallShield format for Windows for file image format for Linux from www.z390.org. It also needs the J2SE Java runtime which can be downloaded from Sun Developer Network. Once users have installed z390 with zcobol and J2SE runtime, then they can start the z390 GUI interface or command line interface.
So, much more to compilers than perhaps you thought as well!
And (can I make my ignorance seem even worse!), I assumed that everyone used compilers provided by IBM, so their code ran on IBM mainframes. And I guess, I assumed that everyone just paid IBM for the privilege.
Like everyone else, I knew that a compiler is a computer program that’s used to transform source code written in a higher-level computer language like COBOL or Assembler (which I know is pretty close to machine code) into object code that could then be executed on the mainframe (or other platform).
But I recently discovered that there are other companies in the compiler marketplace.
Dignus, at dignus.com/, has Systems/ASM, its Assembler compiler, which is now at Version 1.80. This can be used to create Linux/390 and z/Linux programs from traditional ASM source, allowing for an easier transition to Linux on the mainframe. Systems/ASM can assemble existing code as unchanged as possible (no new instructions or psuedo-ops to use) and also has complete support for debugging with the native Linux tools. The company also claims that Systems/ASM Assembler software allows users to develop mainframe applications, in IBM Assembler language, on a mainframe, or on Unix and Windows workstations. Systems/ASM generates object code for all IBM zSeries operating systems, including Linux for S/390 and zSeries, z/OS, OS/390, VSE, z/VSE, VM, z/VM, TPF, and z/TPF.
A company called Syspoint (www.syspointusa.com/) offers Syspoint Virtual Compilers. The company suggests that they are suited to companies with two or more mainframes. They go on to suggest that they can be thought of as “cloud compiling”, only in-house.
So, how does it work? According to the company, a virtual compiler is a program that functions equivalently to an actual compiler but does not require that the actual compiler be installed or licensed on the machine on which it runs. The Syspoint Virtual Compiler utilizes FTP to transmit the user’s source code to another mainframe (on which the actual compiler is installed), compiles it there, and returns the output of the actual compiler (system messages, listing, object code, etc) to the user’s specified target datasets.
So users no longer need the IBM compiler and can save on that cost, while paying less money to Syspoint.
There’s also zCobol, available from www.zcobol.org/. zCOBOL is an open source portable mainframe COBOL compiler available as part of the z390 open source portable mainframe Assembler for Windows or Linux. Users can download z390 and zcobol in InstallShield format for Windows for file image format for Linux from www.z390.org. It also needs the J2SE Java runtime which can be downloaded from Sun Developer Network. Once users have installed z390 with zcobol and J2SE runtime, then they can start the z390 GUI interface or command line interface.
So, much more to compilers than perhaps you thought as well!
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