Ed,

Are you seriously saying that for an applications language the messages have to 
be able to be understood by someone with no knowledge of the language, to 
someone who should know the language but doesn't understand the message?

Here's a random message from the C link above:


CCN0463   Suboption is not allowed in "&1" option.

Explanation
Suboption is not allowed in the specified option.

In the message text:
&1 is the option name.

User response
Remove the suboption.

So, yes, for C they have commented the line MOVE some-useful-name TO 
some-other-useful-name. And yes, I guess that does mean you get what you pay 
for.

You've already said you don't want that. So what *do* you want? I'm not 
suggesting you check all the COBOL messages, but there's a text file in the 
link I provided earlier. Can you have a quick look and find a message which 
needs expansion? 

That excludes the -U messages. Those could well require attention, but who 
would know? They all mean "compiler broke, here's something which may help the 
person investigating identify the problem in the compiler". When unaccompanied 
by obviously relevant system messages, what do you do but pass it on to IBM?

Now, I'm not going to "defy" anyone to find a message which doesn't need some 
work. But, even if you do find such a thing, just log it with IBM and they will 
consider expanding it in the compiler.

Oh, and those seemingly-amusing one which just show a question-mark? They don't 
count, as the question-mark will be replaced by appropriate text depending on 
the context, if that message is ever produced.


On Tuesday, 22 March 2016 00:57:38 UTC, Ed Gould  wrote:
> > For sysprogs, I'd expect a consultation for a "U" (the old "D" for  
> > Disaster), but otherwise I'd expect more knowledge amongst the  
> > applications staff.
> 
> sigh... with cutting expenses so much in the news (just look at IBM)  
> you get what you pay for.
> 
> Ed

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