Ok, I guess I could call that reverse engineering. I might also call
that just documentation, but doc made purposely to rework the processing
into another language/platform.
After about 8 months at my job (training) the lead sysprog gave me the
source code of TSSO and told me to document how it works. Maybe he
wanted to make some changes, but more likely he just wanted me to learn
and ask questions, and ask I did.
On 9/8/2023 11:39 AM, Steve Thompson wrote:
From the recruiters I get contacting me, the end client, who ever that
may be, wants someone to reverse engineer the ALC code they have into
COBOL (uh how about the euphemism, modernize?).
Basically, what this needs is a flow charting of the code, to define all
that it is doing. Not to the instruction level, just functionally.
Well, a novice with ALC will end up making a chart that is too detailed.
Someone who has done this kind of thing before, for say, learning a
product they are about to become a developer for would be the kind of
person you want for this.
Like me, having done this (to really tick off some of you about old
stuff that we've been talking about) for Macrocode (Amdahl's Hypervisor)
to learn how it all worked, or having done it for Connect:Direct for
z/OS and a few others, would be the kind of person you need for this.
Then having also converted an application from ALC to COBOL (or RPG-II),
also is the kind of person they need. Because you need to know what
comments need come forward. And if you need, or should use, HEX support
in COBOL. Or, Java if you want to really modernize your code. ;-)
Then they want to pay ~$50/hr w2 for that expertise.
Oh, they also want you to develop testing suites for it, etc.
This is a project that the IRS as one example, is needing done. It
appears there are many others.
Hope this helps you out with understanding what they want and need --
well from my perspective.
Imagine doing this for going from DOS/V* to MVS* for ALC to VS-COBOL (or
later). (Done that too)
So noobies, some of this old stuff we talk about may have you learn some
of the systems internals logic and the like. Might come in handy one day.
Steve Thompson
On 9/8/2023 1:56 PM, Tom Brennan wrote:
"reverse engineering" ??
25 years ago I joked about starting a company called "CopyCat
Software" and all we would do is duplicate expensive mainframe
software. Of course we would need as many lawyers as programmers :)
On 9/8/2023 8:24 AM, Bob Bridges wrote:
Without in the least wishing to opine on the question itself, I just
got an email from a recruiter looking for a number of skills of which
assembler was listed first. Some of the description:
1. Good technical skills in the Mainframe platform - Assembler,
COBOL, JCL, VSAM, DB2, EXPEDITOR, FILE- AID, CICS.
2. Good Analytical skills. Should be able to read the code and create
Design Specs.
3. Candidate having experience in reverse engineering is an advantage.
4. Exposure to Cloud/Distributed technologies will be an added
advantage.
I can pass it along off-list to anyone who's interested. Me, I just
thought the timing was good.
---
Bob Bridges, [email protected], cell 336 382-7313
/* Nearly all men can stand adversity. If you want to test a man's
character, give him power. -Abraham Lincoln */
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