On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd call it an 11.

* 5 points: changing all the HLASM OS/390 USS macro interfaces to Linux
library calls.
* 4 points: converting HLASM syntax to gas. (Different assembler syntax,
same opcodes though)
* 2 points: ELF sectioning vs HLASM's named control sections (no such thing
in ELF).

Tachyon Software (http://www.tachyonsoft.com) produces an excellent HLASM
syntax compatible assembler that runs under Linux and optionally outputs
ELF: this will reduce the effort pretty dramatically, down to about a 7 on
that 10 scale. You'll still have some source code mods to make with respect
to sectioning and externals; but it does take the lion's share of the work
out of that part of the effort.

--Jim--
James S. Tison
Senior Software Engineer
TPF Laboratory / Architecture
IBM Corporation
+1 203 486-2835 (voice/fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]



                      Chuck Arney
                      <carney@intelliwa        To:       [EMAIL PROTECTED]
                      re.com>                  cc:
                      Sent by: Linux on        Subject:  Porting Large S/390 Assembler 
Applications
                      390 Port
                      <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
                      IST.EDU>


                      03/08/2002 13:37
                      Please respond to
                      Chuck Arney





A search of the archives on this subject provided no joy.  I suspect I know
the answer, but I still need to ask the question.

My question is if it is easy, difficult or impossible to port large
existing
S/390 applications written in assembler to run under LINUX on a 390 or
z/series platform?  I am not talking about a batch application but about a
server type application that currently uses S/390 facilities and operating
system services such as TCP/IP Socket APIs, multi-tasking and Data Spaces.

Have other S/390 software vendors ported assembler products of this
complexity or is the effort so large as to not be feasible?.

Chuck Arney
IntelliWare Systems Inc.  http://www.intelliware.com
Access 3270 apps from the web with z/Web-Host for VSE & OS/390
Access CMS minidisks from OS/390 & VSE with CMSACCess
Voice: 972-296-6166   Fax: 972-296-5468

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