From: Francisco Medina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
SNIP
The times have changed and there is a significant need to dumb down
(yeah, I said it) the interface. This is entirely why Windows is such a
huge success. The interface is appealing and makes things ultra-simple
for the user. Most of us here could wing it when signed on to Mainframe TSO
for the very first time by using the panel options, but the majority of
people cannot. However, many 7 year olds can figure out the Windows GUI
interface in about a half-hour after a little experimentation and guidance.
Just because our platform is normally relegated to larger corporations
processing mostly in batch, does not mean that we need to have a crappy
interface that turns people off as soon as they see it. The initial
reaction of the majority would be, that sucks like the DOS days, even
though you and I probably love DOS more than Windows (hey, we love the
command-line interpreter). With the advent of Windows and the continued
aging of the mainframe community, it becomes more and more of a necessity
to enhance the user interface. If we choose to ignore this essential aspect
of the operating system, it is truly doomed for failure in the future.
Francisco,
I agree with everything you stated. However, for the benefit of those who
monitor the list and might not know differently, I must point out there are
many tools available that SIGNIFICANTLY improve the standard mainframe
interface.
I confess up-front I make my living by developing such a tool, so obviously
my opinions are biased. However, it's my experience that few people are
aware such tools exist, or have ever had the opportunity to see or use them.
People who are exposed to the standard mainframe interface eventually move
on to become managers. If they didn't like the mainframe and perceive it as
unproductive and unintuitive, you can be sure they'll have no fondness for
keeping it. But solutions are available right now, today, that dramatically
improve the mainframe interface and help prevent this scenario from
happening.
Perhaps everyone is sitting back and waiting for IBM to provide a solution.
ISPF was introduced more than 20 years ago, and the underlying interface has
changed little in all that time. Yes there have been major improvements in
features and utilities, and the architecture itself (IMHO) is first rate.
But still, the interface itself leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, part
of the architecture provided by IBM allows tools and utilities to be created
that can complement and enhance the base architecture. Tools created by
vendors and even certain individuals are available to anyone who cares to
look.
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Some tools are free,
but usually the better tools cost money. Perhaps it's the perceived expense
of licensing tools that prevents most shops from exploring what's available.
But this is a case of penny wise and pound foolish. Mainframe hardware and
software often costs hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars to
buy and operate. It then costs millions more on an annual basis to employee
the people who work on the platform (i.e. roughly one million dollars a year
for every 10 employees). With such VAST amounts of money involved, you'd
think most companies would do almost anything in their power to improve
productivity.
If a software tool improves productivity by an average of 10% and is used by
20 people, and if such a tool cost $5,000 per year to license, then the
return on investment works out to roughly $195,000 a year. Even if the tool
generated a paltry 1% improvement in productivity, it would still return
roughly 4 times the initial investment each and every year. If more than 20
people used it, the return grows even bigger. It doesn't take a rocket
scientist to realize that even very small investments in productivity tools
can reap huge dividends, and at the same time make everyones lives much
easier. Despite this, few companies look at any interface software beyond
what comes with the standard mainframe installation. Other companies
languish and complain, while still others spend huge sums of money to
convert to other platforms.
Those in a position to investigate and recommend ways to improve mainframe
productivity and the user interface should take it upon themselves to do so.
If they don't, they shouldn't be surprised when the mainframe platform
eventually dissapears for good. As Francisco so aptly stated in his email:
"With the advent of Windows and the continued aging of the mainframe
community, it becomes more and more of a necessity to enhance the user
interface. If we choose to ignore this essential aspect of the operating
system, it is truly doomed for failure in the future."
I couldn't agree more. However, anyone who thinks the standard ISPF
interface is the only mainframe interface available has absolutely NO idea
what they're missing.
Dave Salt
SimpList(tm) - The easiest, most powerful way to surf a mainframe!
http://www.mackinney.com/products/SIM/simplist.htm
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