Re: Can We retire the QSECOFR userid?

> <snip>
> 2.           If some stupid software vendor hard-codes into their
> product that you must use "QSECOFR" to install or change
> something (It happens, but still, this should be a rare
> event.  And with the right software vendors, it may never
> happen).
> </snip>

OK ... guilty ... I am a lazy, good for nothing software developer, that
forces you to install with QSECOFR.
Since no other software developer has (in my memory) admitted this on the
list (4+ years I think) I am happy
to parade my ignorance before you.  I am expecting you to educate me, 'cause
I cannot find anything better in
any manuals I have had the time to pour over in the past (and people I have
spoken to).
/EXPECT PARM(ABUSE) *** And it is so easy to use QSECOFR.
/RUN PARM('DEVIL' 'ADVOCATE')  *** My insurance, go easy on me.

If you don't want to use QSECOFR, don't buy the software.
But if you buy the software, and you want to use it as intended, then
perhaps sometimes it is necessary.
Correct me if I am wrong.

Security on the AS/400 is first class, down to object level.  Spooled files
(my baby in a previous life) can be
stopped from printing if the person printing does not have the correct
authority.  My, I can even stop you
from accessing a spooled file queue and therefor stop you from viewing it.

Believe it or not, businesses buy software to print spooled files.
They also buy that software because it may have the ability to do some
management on the 400 - spooled
file specific, like copying to another queue for distributed printing
processes.  Now while all this sounds terribly
simple (and it is really), there are some matters that require close
attention.  The security levels needed for the
Create spooled fileAPI, open spooled file API etc stop the software from
reading the spooled file if the security isn't
high enough to allow that operation.  How many of your plebiscite Id's have
*SPLCTL ?  Who starts the IBM writer ?
What security is on the writer ?  Can Joe Bloggs start the writer for the
warehouse (picking slips) at 5am,
and the office for invoices at 5am ?  If so, does your Sales manager want
his reports from the same printer
in the office at 10am ?  Does Joe Bloggs have that authority ?  How many
times have I fallen in a heap because some
of the thousands of customers that run this software have different
approaches to security.  How easy it is to use QSECOFR.

Oh, and it adopts that authority too (I'm digging my grave here).  Because
the Sales manager will want to see his report,
regardless of who started the writer, regardless of the authorities
associated with the queue.  You put something there to print it.
If you had the authority to put it there in the first place, or if you had
the authority to move it there, or copy it there,
then why should I take your abusive phone calls if my software (supposedly)
doesn't work because it is not printing
your spooled file ?

Now please, this is my personal opinion, my personal experience.  Don't
punish my company (-ies) for what I say.
I was going to leave my addresses off ... but then, some may want to abuse
me in private.
I get disillusioned by the number of times some people on this list tear
shreds of every software developer that
forces you to use QSECOFR for an install.  It's easy to complain (I hear it
every day), compliments are few
and far between - But if you have 3000 installs and 10 complain about
QSECOFR, I believe I did OK -
unless YOU have a better idea ...

In the words of Alec McGuiness in Bridge over the River Kwai : "What have I
done ?"

Regards,

Rick Renkema
iSeries Developer
Mid-Comp International Pty Ltd
Phone : +61 3 9011 8288
Fax : +61 3 9544 9631
Mobile : +61 (0)414 877 483
email : rickr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"All great discoveries are made by mistake"