Clark
Do you have any actual examples you can propose to us all. I would prefer an
official one, one which refers to products on the same hardware platform - a
reasonable restriction surely - and hence an example which can be backed
up - as I have been doing - with verifiable bookshelf searches.
I'll take the opportunity to clear up your misunderstanding that USS belongs
in the category of a "reused TLA" by doing something I should have done long
ago which is to search the Communications Server bookshelf for USS as I did
for the UNIX System Services bookshelf.
Here are my - to some extent unfortunate - results:
-
"USS" in the z/OS V1R8.0 Communications Server bookshelf
3 IP and SNA Codes [and 1 meaning z/OS UNIX[1]]
14 IP Configuration Guide [and 1 meaning z/OS UNIX]
20 IP Configuration Reference [and 4 meaning z/OS UNIX]
3 IP Diagnosis Guide [and 2 meaning z/OS UNIX]
7 IP Messages Vol 4 (EZZ, SNM)
2 IP System Administrator's Commands
10 New Function Summary [and 5 meaning z/OS UNIX[2]]
7 SNA Customization
13 SNA Data Areas Vol 1
2 SNA Data Areas Vol 2
17 SNA Diagnosis Vol 1: Techniques and Procedures
3 SNA Diagnosis Vol 2: FFST Dumps and the VIT
47 SNA Messages
25 SNA Network Implementation
13 SNA Operations
6 SNA Programming
97 SNA Resource Definition Reference
6 SNA Resource Definition Samples
All other manuals in the bookshelf have 1 hit which refers to one or another
standard messages and codes table which mentions USS with the correct
context.
Thanks for inducing this research since I discovered the following in the
Summary of Changes in the IP Configuration Guide, a feature clearly hitherto
missing which I was happy to find:
<quote>
SNA character stream (SCS) format for unformatted system services (USS)
tables, see "Using the Telnet USS and INTERPRET support" in topic
2.2.1.10.2.
</quote>
There's a *hint* that the IP component of Communications Server may be
edging towards referring to the USS table as the TELNET "message" table. See
section 2.4.9, "Telnet SCS message table support" in the New Function
Summary manual. This however would not really be appropriate since the USS
function includes also the analysis of *incoming* text.
Incidentally, unlike with the IP component manuals, I did not check the
references in the SNA component manuals. I guess it is possible that there
is the odd inappropriate reference there as well - but I doubt it.
[1] Tellingly so, "Reason code: EZB_RSN_NoOmvsAuth, Description: Service
invoker not authorized to use USS."
[2] Including - what schizophrenia! - "All Language Environment and UNIX
System Services (USS) failure reporting, including errnojr (referred to as
errno2), is provided." in section 2.5.29, "Improve FTP serviceability"
-
While this adequately indicates that USS *belongs* officially to
Communications Sever, being derived from the SNA component previously known
as VTAM, it is clear that the contagion is spreading into the IP component -
always a bit of a maverick from its TCP/IP for MVS days.
In some ways this reflects the same unhealthy observation from the analysis
of the UNIX System Services bookshelf which, proportionally, in fact has
rather less evidence of infection, and is repeated here for easier
comparison:
-
"USS" in the z/OS V1R8.0 UNIX System Services bookshelf
2 File System Interface Reference
comments in assembler and a C structure
3 Messages and Codes
3 message explanations - 2 the same - out of, well, lots and lots
1 Parallel Environment Operation and Use
a header of a sample log file from 1997 - maybe corrected by now!
5 Planning
all references to 3 codes for the "IBM Health Checker for z/OS and
z/OS UNIX"
-
This adequately indicates that USS *does not belong* officially to UNIX
System Services. Thus, trying to pretend that USS is a *reuse* of a TLA is
incorrect.
I'm glad you acknowledged that the correct USS is in *active* use. The
original use in purely SNA networks may be to some extent being reduced but
there is some significant drift towards use with TN3270 as indeed evidenced
by this most recent enhancement to USS support in the Communications Server
IP component.
I realise there are some who would deny the operation of "free speech" in
IBM-MAIN - and the 1st amendment! - but I do reserve the right always to
counter incorrect statements made in posts - especially in answer to my
posts.[a]
In this regard I was going to let the incorrect impression given by Bill
Fairchild that USS had equal status in two opposing "religions", as "heresy"
or "true belief", pass but I may as well get that error corrected while on
the topic.
Bill's scheme implies that those who believe in USS for UNIX System Services
condemn Communications Server to the stake. Well, some may I guess but,
surely, among the general populace of IBM-MAIN subscribers, there are those
who
1. use USS for UNIX System Services out of ignorance that there is an
official USS belonging to Communications Server
2. use USS for UNIX System Services in the full knowledge that there is an
official USS belonging to Communications Server but rely on context to avoid
ambiguity
3. being righteous souls, would never use USS to describe UNIX System
Services
I expect those in category 2 and the probably very few in category 3 will
get along fine in their "postal" exchanges. If there are any in category 1
who managed to get through the posts in this discussion - and actually took
on board what was being said - I hope I have at least moved them to category
2 and, although not my objective, some may feel inspired to realign
themselves as category 3.
And the overall benefit for IBM-MAIN list exchanges in general is that,
whenever TELNET is to be discussed, the TLA USS will be used carefully to
mean what it is supposed to mean.
This is far from a religious war with totally opposed beliefs - or, indeed,
slightly but deadly opposed beliefs which characterise the most virulent
religious wars.
Chris Mason
[a] There are however a number who claim to be enjoying the cut and thrust
of debate. These have been from retiring folk who do not wish to be trampled
underfoot[b] and so have sent private messages. It may be they found it just
as interesting as the swinging tales which some have been sharing with us
all of late.
[b] For those who did not follow the recent presidential election, this is a
reference to the grandees of the Parti socialiste.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Clark Morris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.ibm-main
To: <IBM-MAIN@BAMA.UA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:04 PM
Subject: Re: The USS Heresy (was Patents, Copyrights, Profits, Flex and
Hercules)
...
As someone who has minimal interest in the issue and who has spent far
too much time reading postings on this, I will note that it wouldn't
be the first time one group in IBM has reused an active three letter
acronym from another group for either a similar purpose or an entirely
different one.
...
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