SPARTA News

May 2024

SPARTA President’s Corner

contributed by Randy Springs

This month, we will again be holding our SPARTA meetings via Zoom format.

For our May meeting, join us for a presentation about System Management Tools by Peter Sharma and Norm Valiquette from Action Software.

Invite your fellow systems programmers to join us for this informative and interesting virtual meeting.

We hope to see you online on Tuesday, May 7, on Zoom. Watch for meeting information coming your way soon.

Randy Springs
Retired (Truist)

Future Speakers (subject to change)

May 7, 2024 at 3 p.m. - Systems Management Tools by Peter Sharma and Norm Valiquette of Action Software

June 4, 2024 - TBA by TBD

July 9, 2024 (Special Date) - TBA by TBD

We need ideas and volunteers for future speakers. Presentations don’t have to be fancy, just informative and interesting. Even a 5 or 10 minute talk can start an interesting interaction. Contact Ron Pimblett by phone as noted below.

2023-2024 SPARTA

Board of Directors

Randy Springs - President

Retired (Truist)                  (919) nnn-nnnn

street

Raleigh, NC 27604

Ron Pimblett - Vice President

MDI Data Systems

Land line 613 599 6970

Mobile 613 981 6919

190 Guelph Private

Kanata, ON K2T 0J7

Chris Blackshire - Secretary

Retired (Dell, Perot Systems, Nortel)  (919) nnn-nnnn

street

Durham, NC 27713

Randy Springs - (Acting) Treasurer

Retired (Truist)                  (919) nnn-nnnn

see Randy

Springs earlier

Ed Webb -  Communications Director

Retired (SAS Institute Inc.)  (919) nnn-nnnn

street

Apex, NC 27523

Mike Lockey -  Web Master

Guilford Co. Information Services  336-641-6235

201 N. Eugene St.

Greensboro, NC 27401

Meetings

Coronavirus Change: All meetings for the foreseeable future will be held online at 3 p.m. via the Zoom App. The link to meeting is sent to SPARTA Mailing list within 24 hours of the meeting time for security reasons. Stay safe.

Meetings are scheduled for the first Tuesday evening of each month (except no meeting in January), with optional dinner at 6:15 p.m. and the meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.

These monthly meetings usually are held at LabCorp’s Center for Molecular Biology and Pathology (CMBP) near the Research Triangle Park (see last page). Take I-40 to Miami Boulevard and go north. Turn right onto T.W. Alexander Drive. Go about a mile or so. Then turn right into LabCorp complex and turn Left to the CMBP Building (1912 T.W. Alexander Drive). In the lobby, sign in as a visitor to see Bill Johnson. Bill will escort you to the conference room.

Call for Articles

If you have any ideas for speakers, presentations, newsletter articles, or are interested in taking part in a presentation, PLEASE contact one of the Board of Directors with your suggestions.

Newsletter e-Mailings

The SPARTA policy is to e-mail a monthly notice to our SPARTA-RTP Group. The newsletter is posted to the website about five (5) days before each meeting so you can prepare. The SPARTA distribution List is maintained by Chris Blackshire; if you have corrections or problems receiving your meeting notice, contact Chris at chrisbl@nc.rr.com.

December 2023 “CBT Tape” Shareware Online

The directory and files from the latest CBT tape V506 (dated December 5, 2023) are available from www.cbttape.org.

If you need help obtaining one or more files, contact Ed Webb (see Board of Director’s list for contact info).

Minutes of the April 2, 2024 Meeting

• The April 2, 2024 meeting was called to order at 3:10 PM by Randy Springs, the SPARTA President.

• This Forty-first (April 2020 to April 2024) virtual SPARTA meeting was held via the Zoom Software.

• Twelve (12) people were present at the virtual meeting.

• The business portion of the meeting followed the presentation.

• The meeting started at 3 PM to accommodate the speaker's availability.

OLD BUSINESS

• The minutes of the March 12, 2024 meeting as published in the April 2024 Newsletter were approved (there was no November meeting).

• The minutes of the last meeting as published were approved.

• The March 31, 2024 Treasurer's report as published in the April 2024 Newsletter was approved. As of March 31, 2024, the current balance is $805.46.

• Call For Articles: Articles are needed for this newsletter. If you would like to write an article for this newsletter, please contact Ed Webb. Keep in mind that you don't really need to write the article, it can be an article that you read that you would like to share with the membership.

• The SPARTA Web page is available at this site: http://www.spartanc.org. Please send any comments or suggestions about the Web page to Mike Lockey. Be sure to check the Web page every once in a while to see any new or changed information.

• 2024 meeting dates, Future Speakers and Topics (subject to change based on internal politics, budget, the weather):

If you have suggestions about speakers and topics, contact Ron Pimblett.

• The next SPARTA monthly meeting will be held virtually on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

• The annual dues have been suspended (motion passed in the March 2021 monthly meeting).

• Thanks to Randy Springs for online hosting the March meeting via Zoom.

• There are currently about 100 people on the SPARTA e-mail distribution list.

• Send any e-mail address changes to Chris Blackshire so he can update the SPARTA distribution List. The SPARTA meeting notices are being sent via a simple distribution list maintained by Chris.

• Randy Springs is looking for a new Treasurer volunteer. He projects about 2 hours per month is needed.
- Contact Randy Springs if you are interested.

• Randy Springs has setup a SPARTA group on LinkedIn. Please join.

• There was discussion about a possible 2024 in-person meeting, depending on vaccinations and room availability. Stay tuned.
- Randy will contact Bill Johnson to determine the LabCorp meeting place status.
- Jay Hall will look into using a NCSU Centennial Campus room.

NEW BUSINESS

• There was significant discussion about how to increase attendance at SPARTA meetings. After discussing ending SPARTA given lack of participation, the attendees decided to keep trying for another six months.

• We will continue meeting virtually for now with a future in-person meeting date TBD. Stay tuned.
• The Business portion and the meeting ended about 4:50 P.M.

• The Presentation started at 3:20 PM after “Around-The-Table” brief introductions.

• Presentation Topic: SHARE 2024 Orlando, FL (143), March 3-7, 2024

by Ed Webb, Retired from SAS Institute Inc.

This SHARE was Cheryl Watson's last SHARE and she was the Primary speaker for the Core Technologies Opening.

• Agenda
• Why Go to SHARE?
• Quotes of Interest
• Odds and Ends
• Best Sessions
• Other Sessions of Interest
• SHARE Status

• Presentation Access - See Below for a full outline of the presentation.

See the SPARTA webpage for all recent presentations including this April one with additional Notes.

• Contact Info:
Speaker: Ed Webb
Retired z/OS Senior Systems Programmer
Email: edwistuo@aol.com

• The April 2, 2024 monthly meeting ended about 4:50 P.M.

Treasurer’s Report for April 2024

contributed by Randy Springs

The balance in the account is $805.46 as of April 30, 2024.

SPARTA Financial Report
04/01/2024 through 04/30/2024

Items of Interest

SPARTA Schedule and Menu for 2024

contributed by Chris Blackshire

May 7, 2024 Pizza
June 4, 2024 Chicken
July 9, 2024 Subs (July 4 holiday falls in the first meeting week date)
Aug 13, 2024 BarBQ (changed from August 6 as SHARE is August 4-8)
Sept 10, 2024 Pizza (Labor Day holiday is in the first Tuesday meeting week)
Oct 1, 2024 Chicken
Nov 5, 2024 Subs
Dec 3, 2024 BarBQ

Hotel and Registration Are Open Now for SHARE Kansas City!

contributed By Ed Webb

"Register Now for SHARE Kansas City
Don't miss out! Join us at SHARE Kansas City, taking place Aug. 4-8, 2024, at the Loews Kansas City Hotel.

Register now, and get excited for SHARE's unmatched education and enterprise IT insight. Gather with hundreds of technology professionals, and don't miss:
• 200+ technical sessions on key focus areas of the industry
• New exhibitions in the SHARE Technology Expo
• A Women in IT event
• Endless networking opportunities
• And so much more!

Be sure to register by July 12 to secure early bird pricing."

No Time for Fooling Around - Semeru 17 is Coming

Contributed by Ed Webb

On April 1, 2024, Marna Walle of IBM shared this Musing about significant Semeru (a.k.a. Java) changes coming for z/OS 3.1 this year:

"Although today is April 1, this is not a day for Fools (or for Fish, if you are French). Today is a rather important day when we look at what is happening with z/OS 3.1 and the z/OS functional dependencies on Java. This blog is to socialize the official publication change which is available in z/OS 3.1 Planning for Installation, Software requirements for running z/OS 3.1.

Of course, I'm concentrating on the z/OS 3.1 (not V2.4 or V2.5!) functions which require Java, which is entirely separate from your application dependencies on Java. z/OS 3.1 will continue to run any Java level that is still in service, and today, that is Java 8 31-bit, Java 8 64-bit, Semeru 11, and Semeru 17."

Here are key dates for 2024 z/OS 3.1 and Semeru (Java) levels:

January 29, 2024 Java 8 is no longer orderable.
April 1, 2024 Semeru 11 [is] no longer orderable on Shopz with z/OS 3.1.
April 1, 2024 z/OS 3.1's functional dependency on Semeru 17 is available with PTFs.
November 30, 2024 is the date that Semeru 11 is planned to be end of support.

Read Marna's recommendations about going forward in this Musing during the now seven-month window to move to Semeru 17 on z/OS 3.1.

Some interesting You-Tubes about Computer History

Contributed by Chris Blackshire

Computing in 1953
This is a video of the IBM 700 Series Mainframe
(Checkout the green bar printer paper).

https://youtu.be/fsdLxarwmTk?si=QwfnfdFJi7cJndyy
This is a rare film clip from IBM that gives a close-up look at the first electronic data processing computer in IBM's large mainframe family. Original 1953 footage with unusual clarity. The 701 was a stored-program vacuum tube computer designed primarily to solve large problems in scientific and engineering computation at high speed.

The IBM 1401 compiles and runs FORTRAN II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQ3sajIdaM

- S360: 1960's COMPUTER HISTORY: REMEMBERING THE IBM SYSTEM/360 MAINFRAME Origin and Technology

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npgvV_-Nh60

(Great pictures and history. Great 16 minute history lesson).

How a Young Engineer Saved the Moon Landing.(How Margaret Hamilton saved Apollo 11)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmAc7t7tAlc

What the Apollo 11 landing site looks like today

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXtPNDCuVk

Apollo 12 Source Code: Looking at the original flown code printout, and the 1202 error fix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y37tXoBDx0

How did the Enigma Machine work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybkkiGtJmkM

How does Bluetooth Work?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I1vxu5qIUM


The Slow Death of Windows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR7KqCbnjfw

Humor

Wit and Wisdom continued

contributed by Ed Webb

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
There is no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid people who ask questions.
Quitting is leading too.

You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

It's A Pun-y World!

contributed by Ed Webb

The cashiers around here are always checking me out.

I spotted an albino Dalmatian today. It was the least I could do.

My iPhone charger could be considered apple juice.

Membership Information

Don’t Forget the Next SPARTA Meeting

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Time: 3 p.m.

Location: Online

Information about access to our online meeting will be sent to our e-mail list by Tuesday, May 7.

Free Food before meeting: Your Food at Your Home

Program:

eventACTION™ and ussACTION™, Real-time Systems Management

Speaker:

Peter Sharma and Norm Valiquette of Action Software

SPARTA Corporate Sponsors:

April 2024 Presentation outline

• Presentation Topic: SHARE 2024 Orlando, FL (143), March 3-7, 2024

by Ed Webb, Retired from SAS Institute Inc.

This SHARE was Cheryl Watson's last SHARE and she was the Primary speaker for the Core Technologies Opening.

• Agenda
• Why Go to SHARE?
• Quotes of Interest
• Odds and Ends
• Best Sessions
• Other Sessions of Interest
• SHARE Status

• WHY GO TO SHARE?
- Mainframe Skills Council - customers and vendors and IBM
- - https://newsroom.ibm.com/IBM-Mainframe-Skills
- - Mainframe Skills Council - IBM, SHARE, other key organizations
- ibm.biz/aprvirtualfair IBM Z Career Fair (online) April 11, 2024
- z/OS 3.1 Announcement Review and Upgrade Planning
- Late-breaking z/OS 3.1 News - 1Q2024 Continuous Delivery Functions
- Networking with peers and IBM developers and executives
- SHARE Requirements Carry More Weight with IBM than Ideas (were RFEs)
- - On SHARE site, use Vote for Submission to more easily view text of requirement
- - https://www.share.org/Connect/Advocacy-Requirements-System
- www.ibm.com/ideas z/OS direct link
- Submit tactical rather than strategic Ideas

• WHY (DO I STILL) GO TO SHARE?
- Because I’m a Z Person who has attended these conferences since 1979;
- - first at GUIDE starting in 1979, then at SHARE in 1999
- Networking with Friends and Vendors
- Staying Current and Being Re-energized about z/OS
- SHARE Emeritus Membership eliminates Membership Cost
- - Dramatically Reduces Registration expenses
- Walt Disney World!

• SHARE 2024 ORLANDO
5 Days In-Person and Some Recordings!
- Four Days Full of Content with some sessions recorded
- SHARE Tech Exchange Monday and Tuesday evenings with food
- SHARE Tech Exchange Wednesday lunch with food
- Lunch (free) at Learn Sessions on Monday and Thursday
- Broadcom-sponsored Lunch (free) on Tuesday
- Recorded sessions are available soon (Ends July 31, 2024)
- - 45-50 minute sessions - video and audio with handouts in most cases
- SHARE Partners with dedicated sessions on Tuesday

• QUOTES OF INTEREST
- Justin Wren, former mixed martial arts player, as SHARE keynote
- - https://www.fightfortheforgotten.org Fight for the Forgotten
- “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”
- - Swahili proverb
- “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito”

- Cheryl Watson at Core Tech z/OS Track Welcome
- - “Share your SHARE experience, session reports”
- - “Don’t say no to any new skills”
- - “Travel as much of the world as you can to understand world and people”
- - “Governments are crap but people are great”

• ODDS AND ENDS
- Curious about some new z/OS function? Then locate details here:
- - https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/new-function-apars-zosplatform
- - https://www.ibm.com/support/z-content-solutions/managementservices
- New to Z Community - IBM Training for Z jobs

• BEST SESSIONS

• Core Tech z/OS Track Welcome
By Art Gutowski of Huntington Bank and others

- Cheryl Watson Keynote and Farewell
- - Future of the mainframe
- - More attention to young people
- - Different vocabulary
- - Fewer nuts and bolts (I.e. parameters)
- - Controlled (managed) AI
- - Higher effort on security

• What’s New in z/OS 3.1: The Sunshine Edition
By Dave Surmon, Steve Warren, Marna Walle of IBM
- New version (first in 10 years) - no V for version in front of 3.1 - it’s just IBM z/OS 3.1
• z/OS 3.1: Release Overview - z/OS Support Summary

1 - All statements regarding IBM's plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice.
2 - Extended support dates are projected and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice.
3 - WdfM - Server has been withdrawn from Marketing
4 - Defect support provided with IBM Software Support Services for z/OS

• What’s New in z/OS 3.1: The Big Easy Edition
- z/OS Management Services Catalog (CD)
- Data Serving and Storage
- Security
- z/OS Education Assistant for z/OS 3.1 materials at z/OS github

• IBM z/OS Container Platform, by Kershaw Mehta of IBM
- z/OS Container Platform Is New, Announced March 5, 2024 at SHARE

• Upgrading to 3.1: Planning (1 of 2), By Marna Walle and Aaron Kippins of IBM
- New Ordering Process

• Upgrading to 3.1: Technical Actions (2 of 2)
- What is an upgrade action?
- Upgrade actions
- - Overview to 3.1 from 2.5 or 2.4
- Upgrade actions at V2.5 you should not overlook (“Big Migs”)
- Upgrade actions at 3.1 you should not overlook

• z/OS 3.1 User Experience, By Ed Jaffe of Phoenix Software International

• Avoiding z/OSMF Pitfalls: Common Problems 3.1 Update, By Ken Irwin and Trevor Geisler of IBM

• Customizing z/OSMF Using Plug-ins, By Jerry Spencer of DTS Software LLC

• Cheryl and Her “Boy’s” Lukewarm Flashes, By Mario Bezzi and Frank Kyne of Watson and Walker

- Evolution of COBOL Compiler
- - History of Enterprise COBOL Performance
- Java on z/OS release lifecycle
- Special Words From and Industry Giant (Cheryl Walker)

• Bit Bucket x’43’, By Mike Shorkend, Lionel Dyck, Henri Kuiper, Ed Jaffe

• SESSIONS OF INTEREST

• JES2 Product Updates, By Tom Wasik, IBM JES Architect

• What’s New for z/OSMF 3.1
- Don’t Despair, There is help for z/OSMF
- - One Stop Hub
- - Join IBM Z Communities to communicate with kindred spirits or lost souls
- - z/OSMF Guild home page
- - Archived presentations back into 2021

• STATUS OF SHARE
- SHARE 2023 New Orleans highlighted 2 Changes:
- SHARE Individual Membership (New in 2023!)
- - $199 starting January 2024
- - Affiliate Membership at $99 may still be available
- SHARE Changes for Program and Projects
- - They are now called Focus Areas and Tracks
- - Some ongoing impact at Future SHAREs
- SHARE 2024 Kansas City [Mo] will be a full four-day conference August 4-8
- Call for Presentations Ends on Sunday, April 7, 2024
- Registration opens in a few weeks
- Visit SHARE's Event Calendar for more details soon.

• QUESTIONS?
• Next SHARE is in Kansas City, Missouri on August 4-8, 2024

The presentation and questions ended about 4:40 PM and the meeting ended at 4:50 PM after a short business meeting.