Re: Reverse Performance Review -- MIDRANGE-L

Al,

I will respond to the bulk of your post privately, but publicly:

I take having a PC so much for granted that I forgot about the IBM
documentation issue, that being that, for all practical purposes, it's no
longer available on paper, but it *is* available on the Softcopy CD-ROM
(and/or InfoCenter CD-ROM, depending on your OS version).  This requires a
most minimal Windows PC these days, one that would likely cost $300 - $400.  I
couldn't imagine doing my job without the proper documentation.  Given your
self-assessment of needing to acquire more AS/400 skills, it is my opinion
that you're choking yourself career-wise trying to work without proper
documentation at your desk.  IMO, no manager in their RIGHT mind can justify
belt-tightening as a valid excuse for not giving you a minimal-cost tool as
I've described.  $400 to give you just the documentation to do your job would
easily pay for itself in the first month by increased efficiencies in your
job.  So, what now, your access to IBM docs are limited to what you have at
home?  I just cannot fathom that!  It is truly mind-boggling!  I wonder how
you can get anything done!

I cringe at the mere suggestion of it, but do you have the softcopy (?) loaded
on the AS/400 that you can access via InfoSeeker (errrr, excuse me, I have to
go v.....  TOO LATE!)

Dan Bale
IT - AS/400
Handleman Company
248-362-4400  Ext. 4952
D.Bale@Handleman.com
  Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
  (Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)

-------------------------- Original Message --------------------------
<snip>
The world of technical information has dramatically changed in a few years.
I can no longer get a printed IBM reference manual for anything I need to
work with.
Some of them IBM does not publish anymore except on the internet.
A few weeks ago after a lot of struggles, we got an IBM redbook downloaded &
printed at a local print shop & into a binder - if my boss had realized what
we were doing sooner he might have stopped the expense.  I told him in
advance what I was doing, but he did not hear me ... part of the problem with
my inability to communicate effectively.

When I was at IBM school, we had the manuals on the internet on one session &
the programming work we were doing on another session so any time something
came up that we were the least bit unfamiliar with, or needed to check finer
points of keywords, the internet connection to latest IBM manuals had the
answers.  I wish I had that reality at present but I don't.

On this list & others, I have made contacts which have provided shareware
programs which are solutions to many of our problems, but how do I get
internet download or e-mail into my source code?  Transcription is a severe
bottleneck.  We have instructions from various people how to do stuff, but I
have to work with PC guys who are even more busy than I, so it is do this
when your time permits which could be months, by which time I have forgotten
why I wanted that.

Right now I do all my e-mail & participation on AS400 network & e-commerce &
computer-security & etc. lists from my home PC - some of my interest is
personal & the entertainment value of helping other people, but a lot of the
discussions I would not be in were it not for the need for continuing
education that is current job related ... but even if I had PC connection at
the office I have my doubts if it makes sense to change that ... I can see
people being harrassed for excess voice messages on their phones & disk space
for e-mails, so I would be more comfortable continuing to have several Gig on
my home PC to search out what I need to help me with my work, then forward to
the office only what needs to be cut & pasted into the 400.
<snip>
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