Hello Sam! Your name caught my eye on this list. I say, fewer tape version updates. No more than 4 per year. Just my 2 cents.
Steve Gorham SSA / OSOHE / DMSS / MSB (virtually at Perimeter East Building, 5C6J) steve.gor...@ssa.gov -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Sam Golob Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 2:06 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: [EXTERNAL] CBT Tape Updates Dear Folks, I have a dilemma. The dilemma is: How often should I make new CBT Tape Versions? We make about 2 or 3 CBT Tape Version updates per year, and we have been doing that for the past 16 or 17 years now. This is in contrast to when Arnie was doing the CBT Tape. Arnie (Casinghino) had to put all his updates on a REAL TAPE REEL, and therefore, in order to keep the people relatively current, he had to make about 15 version updates per year. The problem is as follows: Now that we have the website, https://protect2.fireeye.com/v1/url?k=16fe6d3e-496555f4-16fe4449-0cc47adca788-3da471fa4f14addf&q=1&e=6849885a-efdf-42e3-b5a1-32fa33cf0ffd&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbttape.org%2F, all the updated files that are "between the tape releases" can go into a separate section on the website, called the "Updates" page. That allows us to have some leeway. We ARE NOT FORCED TO UPDATE the "Tape Version" to keep people current, but on the other hand, many of the people are used to the old system, and they don't look at the Updates page at all. Therefore, they are losing out on having "the latest and the greatest", and sometimes they introduce unnecessary errors, by not downloading the latest software. So. First. I have to emphasize that you should ALWAYS look at the Updates Page first. But since a sizable number of people still don't do so, I am wondering that maybe I should make more updates per year. It takes about 3 days' worth of solid work, to make a CBT Tape Version update. My question is: "Can you live with the current system, use the Updates Page all the time, and not always make the mistake of going to the "CBT" page only? Or should I make 4, 5, or 6 or more smaller updates per year?" "To make version updates, or to not make (so many) version updates? THAT is the question." (from Shakespeare?) Please let me know (on list or off list) what you think. All the best of everything to all of you. Sincerely, Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
