I am an applications programmer at University of Kansas Medical Center. In the IS dept. we have only 2 programmers that maintain COBOL programs on the Mainframe (OS390-IMS Shop). I am looking for some tools to be of help that are not so expensive. What do you have or who or where can you recommend me to go for getting tools for File-aid, debugger tool for COBOL pgms, and possible using In-sync or some other tool for looking at record layouts quickly.

I am new there and there are a lot of things that are done so old-fashion. I am working on Y2K at this time and looking for some tools for the near future.

hwashing@kumc.edu

Thanks!

-- Hope Washington (hwashing@kumc.edu), July 30, 1999

Answers

Is this desperado or what? Here we are in August of 1999 and Hope is asking for some tools for file-aid or a debugger tool for COBOL programs that are not expensive? Why don't you ask your 2 COBOL programmers for this information and have them come up with a solution. This is a good example of entities scrambling for a quick fix.

-- No Hope for Hope (No Hope For Hope@NoHopeforHope.com), July 30, 1999.

Hope,

Unfortunately, this is a forum that is specifically *not* intended to provide technical advice. (In the forum's statement of purpose, About the TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Forum: "It's not intended to provide advice/guidance for solving Y2000 problems within an IT organization.") And, alas, a less-polite forum participant got here before I did.

Suggestions:

Call IS departments at other university or non-university medical centers. Ask what inexpensive tools they've found useful.

Does KU have a Y2k coordinator? If so, explain your needs and ask him/her for ideas on who/where to ask for advice. What connections does he/she have to Y2k coordinators at other universities with medical schools?

Do you have memberships in professional societies through which you might find connections?

Try the Usenet newsgroup comp.software.year-2000.tech

As for your being new there -- that can be advantageous in terms of having a fresh point of view.

Good luck.

-- No Spam Please (nos_pam_please@hotmail.com), July 30, 1999.

You want inexpensive tools you can use on a mainframe.

I've got a screwdriver you can have for only $20.00. Also a mainframe attitude adjusting device (a.k.a. a big hammer) that is yours for the low low price of just $49.95. Tax included.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), July 30, 1999.