That depends. Can you use, say, Python to implement all the scripting kinds of things you can use REXX for?
On Fri, Mar 15, 2024 at 6:36 PM David Crayford < 00000595a051454b-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> wrote: > Working with REXX doesn't feel comfortable to me at all. I'm troubled by > the fact that every function call carries a potential side effect. While we > can resort to procedures, we then encounter the challenge of dealing with > telescoping exposure lists. When I hear about adapting to quirks, it seems > to translate to "I acknowledge REXX's flaws, but I stick with it because > it's what I'm familiar with, even if I have to tolerate it.” The recent > discussions on this forum have brought attention to the shortcomings and > limitations of REXX as a programming language. > > In comparison to other platforms, Z/OS used to offer limited options in > terms of programming languages. However, that's no longer the case. What > struck me as ironic during my recent presentation was that the majority of > the audience were millennials who were unfamiliar with REXX. This might > come as a surprise to seasoned veterans of mainframes who are used to REXX, > but in today's landscape, familiarity with it isn't necessary. > > > On 16 Mar 2024, at 7:19 am, Seymour J Metz <sme...@gmu.edu> wrote: > > > > Every language has pitfalls. While I generally prefer strongly typed > languages, I find Rexx and ooRexx to be comfortable to work with, and it is > not difficult to adapt to its quirks: > > > > <http://www.rexxla.org/Newsletter/9812safe.html> > > <http://www.rexxla.org/Newsletter/9901safe.html> > > > > -- > > Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz > > http://mason.gmu.edu/~smetz3 > > עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי > > נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א יְשַׁקֵּ֖ר > > > > ________________________________________ > > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> on > behalf of David Crayford <00000595a051454b-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> > > Sent: Friday, March 15, 2024 6:40 PM > > To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU > > Subject: Re: Rexx numeric digits and scientific notation question > > > > REXX can indeed be quite tricky to navigate. I recently conducted a > session titled "Python for REXX programmers" at work, and during the > preparation, I was surprised (although not entirely) by the numerous traps > and pitfalls inherent in REXX. When you add to this its absence of basic > functionalities like sorting lists, it begs the question: Why opt for REXX > when we have a plethora of alternatives available today? > > > > The obvious answer may be familiarity, but in our industry, this > argument seems rather weak unless you're confined to a limited environment. > After all, I wouldn't want to revert to using a 1990s-era flip-top phone, > let alone a rotary dial from the 1970s. > > > >> On 16 Mar 2024, at 2:47 am, Charles Mills <charl...@mcn.org> wrote: > >> > >> Well, that explains a mystery. I did not realize that SIGNAL ON was > pushed and popped on subroutine calls. I have had this vague problem where > my SIGNAL ON NOVALUE did not seem to work but at the time of an error it is > always easier to fix the NOVALUE condition than troubleshoot the SIGNAL ON. > >> > >> Thanks! > >> Charles > >> > >> On Thu, 14 Mar 2024 12:04:00 -0500, Glenn Knickerbocker < > n...@bestweb.net> wrote: > >> > >>> On Wed, 13 Mar 2024 11:01:30 -0500, Charles Mills <charl...@mcn.org> > wrote: > >>>> And the answer is ... "The three numeric settings are automatically > saved across internal and external subroutine and function calls." > >>>> I was setting numeric digits in an initialization subroutine, so Rexx > helpfully unset it on return from initialization. I thought I had done it > that way before but I guess I have not. > >>> > >>> Funny, I work with a lot of code that has a common subroutine for > retrieving a TRACE setting to set in the main routine, and I never even > thought about why, or about all the stuff that gets saved across calls! > From CALL HELPREXX on VM: > >>> > >>>> The status of DO loops and other structures: > >>> --though, importantly, not the *indices* of the loops! > >>>> Trace action: > >>>> NUMERIC settings: > >>>> ADDRESS settings: > >>>> Condition traps: (CALL ON and SIGNAL ON) > >>>> Condition information: > >>>> Elapsed-time clocks: > >>>> OPTIONS settings: > >> > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > >> send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > > send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > > send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN > -- Jay Maynard ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
