> -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of (IBM Mainframe > Discussion List) > Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 1:31 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Mainframe News > > > > > In a message dated 10/30/2006 1:21:20 P.M. Central Standard > Time, darth.kel > [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > >Quote: "Programming mainframes still involves typing code on > a green > >screen, much like early versions of DOS, the operating system that > >dominated PCs before the visual "windows" approach." > And how does the author of that quote think that programming > non-mainframe > computers is done these days? I guess they somehow use the > visual "windows" > approach rather than typing code. Right now I am typing > letters on a > multi-colored screen to compose this email. Maybe PC > software doesn't require any > typing. I already knew that it didn't require any debugging. > > Bill Fairchild > > "Facts are the enemy of truth." [Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha]
In many IDEs, there is a "window" that the programmer can "pop up" which will show a number of things such a defined variable names, defined functions, and other such "resources". The programmer can then just double click on the name to have the editor insert that name into the source code at the cursor. Imagine how nice it would be to have a COBOL aware editor that would be able to know your data names, even if they are in a COPY book. If you misspelled something, the editor could flag the misspelling immediately and perhaps even suggest the correct spelling by looking at what is defined in the DATA DIVISION. It could even know all the LE subroutines and have lookups and defination capability. This is likely what the writer was talking about: various "assists" that are fairly standard in PC IDEs, but totally lacking in ISPF edit. Yes, I know about MODELS in ISPF. They are nice, but limited to "hard coded" stuff. I remember this sort of thing back in Turbo Pascal days. Today I just use gvim on Linux with an open Perl book. Java Netbeans has this sort of thing too, now that I think about it. -- John McKown Senior Systems Programmer HealthMarkets Keeping the Promise of Affordable Coverage Administrative Services Group Information Technology This message (including any attachments) contains confidential information intended for a specific individual and purpose, and its content is protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient, you should delete this message and are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, or distribution of this transmission, or taking any action based on it, is strictly prohibited. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
