RE: How to find out the main memory capacity -- MIDRANGE-L

Carel, sorry to extend this a little more. So this is a request to all (or suggestion, as one may take it).

If anyone asking a question on this list is working for one of these outsourcing companies in India or Korea or Canada or wherever, do take a look at that FAQ on how to ask questions.

But most of all, be up front about who you are. Honesty goes a long way. You, too, are trying to make a living, probably trying to feed yourself or someone else. It's not directly your fault if someone tries to use your services.

If you are a student, say so.

Tell us what you have tried. Don't ask (generally speaking) if you've not as least tried to find out something. E.g., the question that started this thread could have been asked, "I tried to find main memory capacity on the WRKSYSSTS display - I can add up the pools - but is there a better way?"

If you can't get to the normal channels of information (google, manuals on-site, other programmers on-site, etc. - look at that FAQ), let us know.

Judging from the way other lists operate, this one is incredibly polite. There aren't many scathing "RTFM" comments - probably should be more.

The same problem exists in companies, where there is always a go-to person that gets interrupted by those who _could_ look it up, except it's easier to just ask George, he always knows the answer. And some of these persons seem never to remember what they heard the last time they asked Georgina about the same thing.

I'm done.

HTH

Vern

At 07:30 PM 8/15/2003 +0200, you wrote:

I think skill is not the issue here, financial situations and alternatives are. Persons affected by "offshoring" still have the skills and the experience; their substitutes offshore may not have that. The remark "Cheaper is (sometimes) better" can be contradicted with "More expensive is not always better". I have had experience with persons considered to be experts, but failed miserably. I think others have simular experiences.

The strangest thing is, that those newbies are thrown in at the deep end without any mentoring, guidance, support from responsible people (where are their seniors?); without any access to manuals (books or CD's); and with limited access to the Internet (apperently only e-mail). On the other hand, somehow they got the link to this mailing list. Perhaps an attempt to cut on training (any training?), after all.

I think some of the negative remarks are correct, but I think the newbies should not be scared off; the platform is too large to know every aspect of it. But the way those newbies phrase their questions will arouse this controversy again in the near future.

Hopefully this discussion has ended.

Just my rambling thoughts on the matter, worth 2 Euro cents.
Regards,
Carel Teijgeler.