I don't totally disagree with you, but the problem is that without good standards and some architectural concept behind them such small macros start to multiply, there are different versions, copies, recreation of existing things because someone didn't look (or care) that something was already there, and so on. At the end of the day if uncontrolled what happens is that each competent programmer decides to do his own thing and make his own set of "helpful" macros. I'm not recommending a lot of trivial macros anyway.
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: IBM Mainframe Assembler List [mailto:ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] Im Auftrag von Tony Thigpen Gesendet: Mittwoch, 23. Juli 2014 16:13 An: ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Betreff: Re: Macros -- was: EDit mask for floating minus (negative) I think you hit something on the head, but not what you expected. Why should there be a tools team? The main programmers know what they need and usually can write the tools they need. They can also maintain the doc. But, everybody wants someone else to do it. Good programmers want to be efficient. They like debugged macros. Most simple macros only need about 1 or 2 lines of doc at the front about their usage. If the macro name and the macro parms are named well, maybe not even that much. Remember, the programmer using the macro does understand the basics about macros and can review the code if he has a question. He can even update the comments when he is done. And all it takes for an index of macros is to put a spreadsheet on a shared network drive. Anytime a macro is added, or discovered, place an entry in the table. It does not take but a few seconds. Now days, everybody wants someone else to do it, so they don't perform even the simplest thing. The man-hours that could be saved by that same programmer reinventing the wheel would have more than covered the time it would have taken him to update a spreadsheet listing macros. Tony Thigpen -----Original Message ----- From: Farley, Peter x23353 Sent: 07/23/2014 09:55 AM > And there is the rub: "... if documented, maintained and supported by > training and management guidelines". Too many shops have no such support > system in place, nor the requisite team to perform the documentation and > maintenance. IOW no one wants to pay for a "programmers' tools team". > > I have never understood why there is so little support for a tools team when > the payback in productivity and speed-to-market (which can certainly be > measured in real money) is so pronounced. > > Peter > > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Assembler List [mailto:ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] > On Behalf Of David Stokes > Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2014 5:56 AM > To: ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Subject: Re: Macros -- was: EDit mask for floating minus (negative) > > Probably best to ignore certain individuals who rather seem to like to be > insulting, but of course not personally. On the whole they don't do much for > most discussions, other than beating their own drum. > > I think Steve is talking about different people/groups basically doing their > own thing and ending up with lots of probably undocumented little macros, and > I agree that that is worse than useless for the wider world. > > OTOH one can develop suites of macros to implement higher level functions, > frameworks etc. which if documented, maintained and supported by training and > management guidelines can be very useful for larger developments. Where would > we be without IBM system macros, after all? One can extend them with further > really useful functionality and save a lot of repetitive development effort. > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- > Von: IBM Mainframe Assembler List [mailto:ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] Im > Auftrag von Sharuff Morsa3 > Gesendet: Mittwoch, 23. Juli 2014 11:36 > An: ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU > Betreff: Re: Macros -- was: EDit mask for floating minus (negative) > > I work regularly with Steve. It is, and has been, a please and a delight. > I've always respected his views, many of which I agree with. > Sharuff > >> >> Date: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:35:36 -0400 >> From: ASSEMBLER-LIST@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU >> Subject: Re: Macros -- was: EDit mask for floating minus (negative) >> >> There is just so much wrong with several things you mentioned. >> But, based on your last statement, you don't care anyway, so I, for one, > >> will not bother. >> >> I just pity the poor people you work with. >> >> Tony Thigpen >> >> -----Original Message ----- >> From: Steve Hobson >> Sent: 07/22/2014 04:25 PM > -- > > This message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the > addressee and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If > the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an authorized > representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any > dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have > received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail > and delete the message and any attachments from your system. > >
