Yes ... but there is a problem "of the third kind" where having the
source code would have been useful, as follows:
1. An ISV supplies 'calculating' software (running in a separate
address space) to which CICS online 4GL transactions pass
parameters using cross-memory services. The ISV's code then
processes these parms and returns the results of its calculations
to caller. The ISV also supplies weekly updates of its code, but
only as replacement LMODs.
2. The ISV's latest update has a bug that makes it loop when a
combination of parms is passed to it. All the CICS systems then
freeze as they wait for a response. So we take system dumps of
the CICS regions and ISV's address space, and send them to the ISV.
3. The ISV cannot determine what the problem is because the parms
are passed from 4GL 'code' in the dumps, but will not release the
source code either. The customer then has to restore the ISV's
previous LMODs in order to continue functioning, but at a cost
because the ISV's previous LMODs' calculations are no longer valid.
My resolution was to put a GTF trace on all ASIDs, look for a recurring
pattern of CPU instruction addresses within a same ASID, identify the
begin/end addresses of the loop (and thus its offsets in the code), call
the ISV and tell them to bring their source code, recompile it with
whatever the Fortran assembler listing option was, check its assembly
offsets against those in the system trace, and tell the ISV which part
of their code needed to be fixed and why. (BTW This was in 1992.)
So there is a "third kind" of problem when an ISV cannot fix yet will
not release its code and the ISV has not 'gone bust', because its source
code in escrow cannot then be accessed either.
My ha'pennyworth.
Chris Poncelet
IBM Systems Programming Consultant (retired)
Logic Integration Limited
R.S. wrote:
W dniu 2014-05-09 13:35, John McKown pisze:
This has been an interesting thread. I rather like the escrow idea.
I consider it as useless.
- Unclear reason to do it. Why source code in escrow would help the
customer?
- No warranty the code is complete, well documented and up to date.
Without it can be useless for someone outside of ISV.
- Skills. In order to use the code in any way some skills are
required, possibly not available at customer.
- Time. Any case when such code would be useful (assuming completness
and skills) a significant time is need to perform any useful action,
even simple first time recompilation could be long process. And the
need to do it can be quite urgent.
- Escrow trust. Both parties have to trust it. What about it the trust
was disapointed?
- Setlement of disputes. Who and WHEN should decide about customer's
access to the code? It can be clear or not. Quick or not.
BTW: There is quite another process - to buy the application with the
source code, just to develop it further using own skills. In this case
there is no escrow, and the code is actively used by custmer's
development team, it's alive.
My €0.02
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