Skip, Exactly. I have been that way, the way you described since I started 40 yrs ago. Been saying specs,specs and apparently the meaning has been lost in the translation, as they say.
Many of us learned: Input Process Output Regards, Scott , the T-Rex On Saturday, October 31, 2015, J O Skip Robinson <[email protected]> wrote: > (It must be Friday somewhere.) My first encounter with APIs was a (likely > fictitious) anecdote about an engineer who went to a programmer and asked > for a program to calculate a square root. "Are you sure that's all you > want? Just a calculation?" The engineer insisted that's all he needed. The > next day the programmer handed over a deck of cards (ah, those were the > days). "This will calculate square roots." > > "Great" said the engineer. "How do I run it?" > > "Put this deck the card reader and press Start." > > "How do I input the number?" > > "Input? You didn't ask for input. Or output either, for that matter. This > program does exactly what you asked for. It calculates a square root." > > Like I said, undoubtedly apocryphal. The original point of the tale was > the importance of providing specifications. But I see it also in larger > terms: given a computer that is somehow running some software, what APIs > are needed to make any practical use of it? More specifically, what is an > API in the simplest terms? In the context of the survey, I have no idea > what sort of API the author has in mind. The term is not defined, yet the > entire survey assumes an agreed-upon definition. Does 'API' encompass both > the ability to enter a console command and a program-callable interface to > HSM? > > I gave up on the survey. > > . > . > . > J.O.Skip Robinson > Southern California Edison Company > Electric Dragon Team Paddler > SHARE MVS Program Co-Manager > 626-302-7535 Office > 323-715-0595 Mobile > [email protected] <javascript:;> > > -----Original Message----- > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected] > <javascript:;>] On Behalf Of Gibney, David Allen,Jr > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 2:30 PM > To: [email protected] <javascript:;> > Subject: (External):Re: Share your z Systems expertise: survey improvement > > I just started the survey, by the third page I had no idea what you were > asking, so I quit > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected] > <javascript:;>] > > On Behalf Of Steve Beaver > > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 12:51 PM > > To: [email protected] <javascript:;> > > Subject: Re: Share your z Systems expertise: survey improvement > > > > Tom, > > > > My best description would be SHARE on-line where the audience that can > > respond with suggestions and/or answers > > > > Steve > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[email protected] > <javascript:;>] > > On Behalf Of Tom Brennan > > Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 12:43 PM > > To: [email protected] <javascript:;> > > Subject: Re: Share your z Systems expertise: survey improvement > > > > Tell them there's a printable $10 bill waiting for them at the end :) > > > > Actually, I'm one of the looky-loos. I was only trying to understand > > what this is all about and don't have any applications. I didn't > > fully understand the background and objectives after the first few > > questions, so I left. It's probably just me though, my wife repeatedly > says I'm a little dense. > > > > Greg Lubel wrote: > > > Thanks to all who have followed the link to my survey. This is a > > > quick > > question to those of you who've looked at it and decided not to complete > it. > > > > > > Would you mind letting me know in a sentence how I could make it > > > better, > > to encourage completion? > > > > > > Many thanks, > > > > > > Greg > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to [email protected] <javascript:;> with the message: > INFO IBM-MAIN > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
