> I appreciate the sentiments. We are not particularly happy about getting > rid of them, but their time had come. In order to keep it to "one page", > the page was going to have to grow to a non-standard piece of paper > because the font was too small, both from an IBM printing standards > perspective and based on complaints from sysprogs. Non-standard = more > costly to produce.
I've only used the double-sided Installation Summary sheets as a quick pointer into how far I am though the complete installation task (i.e. a quarter way done, or half way, etc.). That's helpful when trying to decide whether to go home and resume in the morning, or stay a little longer to get it all wrapped up. Preferring to better understand everything that goes on so that if something breaks it's more clear what broke, I use the full Guide for Automated Installation and Service. It serves a bit as education, and includes *everything*. Obviously, it's important to check the PSP buckets for any doc changes, too. Since the full Guide has EVERY step, it permits me to write the current date and time in the margin as I execute each command. Knowing that interruptions are frequent, and often it may take days or weeks to get back to completing the installation (less so nowadays with the speedy installs), the date/time in the margin provide clear doc to let me resume right where I left off. *More importantly*, the date/time in the margin let me look back later to match up console logs of the installation activities. Even wonder "some time later" when something is not working properly, if maybe you might have skipped a step? (Hmmm... wasn't an accidentally skipped step what triggered this thread!?). Seeing the date/time in the margin provides pretty (although not 100%) empirical proof that the step was executed, and enough information to let you match up a console log showing the execution (and perhaps an error message that you missed while fielding a phone call while it ran). But I understand and empathize with those who regularly perform many separate z/VM installations, using the Summaries as the installation "preflight checklist" (what a GREAT analogy Colin provided!). Being experience "pilots" they already know the installation details, and just want to prevent a crash caused by missing one of those critical preflight checklist item. Even so, if they are doing the installation for a customer, those date/timestamps in the margin of the Guide and the matching console logs, might provide their customer with the evidence that permits them with reasons to extend their support contract. Just my humble opinion... Mike Walter Hewitt Associates Any opinions expressed herein are mine alone and do not necessarily represent the opinions or policies of Hewitt Associates. The information contained in this e-mail and any accompanying documents may contain information that is confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply e-mail and then delete this message, including any attachments. Any dissemination, distribution or other use of the contents of this message by anyone other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. All messages sent to and from this e-mail address may be monitored as permitted by applicable law and regulations to ensure compliance with our internal policies and to protect our business. E-mails are not secure and cannot be guaranteed to be error free as they can be intercepted, amended, lost or destroyed, or contain viruses. You are deemed to have accepted these risks if you communicate with us by e-mail.
