Re: FW: Keyword on DSPF entry field -- RPG400-L

Joe, your post has drawn me out of the realm of the
"lurkers" and forced me to reply.  I've been reading these
posts for several months now and have gleaned lots of
useful knowledge in the process.  I've been impressed with
the way the bonafide and self-described experts respond to
fellow developers questions and requests for help.  I read
almost every post, even though I have over 25 years in
this business.  To read a comment like yours above makes
me wonder if help on this list is meant only for the
experienced, more cerebral developer types?  Where's an
"obvious newbie" supposed to learn, but from forums and
user groups and lists like these, where the voice of
experience can give that newbie the confidence to tackle
the next bigger problem?  You were that newbie once,
weren't you, Joe?  The tone of your comment incensed me,
and although I know you or anyone else on this list can
hit the Delete key and move onto posts more to your higher
standards, I felt I needed to make my thoughts heard.

On Wed, 10 Apr 2002 09:53:20 -0500
  "Joe Pluta" <joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com> wrote:
>> From: Smith, Nelson
>>
>> No, REAL production problems get solved by grunt
>>programmers in
>> the trenches
>> facing new fires and deadlines every morning. I've got
>>568 field
>> offices and
>> 27 maintenance programmers to support (herd) and,
>>believe me, you cannot
>> possibly think of every problem scenario that those
>>folks can come up with
>> (the programmers can be worst than the users).  With a
>>staff this
>> large, do
>> you think management is going to pay someone else to
>>support software that
>> WE wrote?  Get real!
>>
>> The primary benefit I get from this list is quick
>>answers from REAL
>> programmers who have been there before. And, yes, I did
>>RTFM
>> before I asked
>> for help, and I did receive two REAL answers already,
>>before
>> receiving your
>> snide remarks.
>
>I'd like to offer a little constructive criticism here.
> Take it as you
>will, or ignore it.
>
>First, those of us who have been programming in this
>field know perfectly
>well that this is a side effect of the 5250 interface.
> Anybody who's done
>any work with the 5250 has seen this, and any 5250 user
>understands it.  The
>only people who don't know this basic fact of 5250
>communications are people
>who have never dealt with it.  Some of us may not have
>responded because
>it's perfectly obvious to those of us who have actually
>worked with the
>interface, and we didn't have the time or inclination to
>respond to an
>obvious newbie post.
>
>Second, the fact that your management won't pay for you
>to get support to
>fix your programs is really not our concern.
> PPOYPDNCACOMP.  Poor planning
>on your part does not create a crisis on my part.  If you
>don't like the
>response time you get from this list, we'll gladly refund
>the money you
>paid.
>
>Finally, the DEMANDING part is pretty annoying.  This
>crap about "C'mon,
>guys.  This is a real production problem we have, and
>I've had no responses
>from anyone, yet."  Guess what, Nelson?  You might not
>get any!  We aren't
>here to answer your questions in your time frame.  The
>post about "software
>support contracts" has to do with the fact that this list
>is VOLUNTARY,
>unlike a support contract which you pay for.  Since this
>list is voluntary
>(and free), if you post a question here, it may or may
>not get answered.
>And whether or not your question gets answered may be
>based to some degree
>on your attitude.
>
>Just some thoughts.
>
>Joe
>
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