IBM Mainframe Forum

Hi to the community

it's my first post in this this forum, i hope i will find answers and help.

I'm a french electronic and computer thechnician, passionned by the computers, especially servers.
For a long time i documented myself on mainframes from 1965-1980 (my favorite period). I really would like now to discover and study Mainframes.

But how hard it is to find reliable documentation about it.

My question is, what is for you the best way to begin ?

Thx a lot

But how hard it is to find reliable documentation about it.

You can start from here ...
http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/z/os/zos/ ... index.html

and here
http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/

Hello and welcome to the forum,

I am not sure what you are asking? The question to my understanding is far too broad for a forum answer.

For a long time i documented myself on mainframes from 1965-1980

How did you "document yourself"?

One of our biggest challenges is with language. We do not all have the same Native Language, so considerable confusion occurs. Not to worry - a bit of patience and communication happens

The more specific the question, the more likely an answer that "works" will be posted.

Hello and thanks.

I'm sorry if my english is not perfect, i was tired yesterday ...
I usually haven't any problem to speak and discuss.

For me Mainframes are all "super-computers" starting from 1965 up to know, and not only from IBM.
I'm well documented on the dates of Mainframes, global architecture, main goals...

But i really would like to gain knowledge on IBM Mainframes.

For me it's a chance to be able to work with this type of machines, but they are rare and hard to find,
Andf even if i'm not working with them, i think i could at least use a Simulator (if possible for sure )

IBM Mainframes are complex and i don't know by what i should begin. => That is the question from my first point

I'm actually reading a Redbook about Z/os, really instructive.

One possible place to begin with by Googling hercules-390 which is an emulation of IBM mainframe hardware. You can download and install MVS 3.8 on Hercules and run batch jobs (for example) since MVS 3.8 was not placed under copyright protection. Some people run z/OS on Hercules, but IBM has never licensed z/OS to run on Hercules and hence announcing in public that you are doing so could cause you problems at some point. IBM does license z/OS to run on a PC platform, but only for development partners and the cost is not cheap -- z/OS alone costs 900 US dollars per year and the PC is in the thousands of US dollars (IBM won't let just any old PC run z/OS).

Effectively i started to test Hercules by begin an installation of MVS 3.8.

I think that the position of IBM on emulating z/os with hercules is quite logical. but even if ibm authorize it, is there any advantage of running this type of OS designed for Mainframes, on a basic computer ?

Another question, i saw that linux is available on Mainframes, Is linux really popular on Mainframes ?

You might want to look at
http://www.bitsavers.org
in the IBM section ...

or ...
http://simh.trailing-edge.com/i7094.html
http://www.cozx.com/~dpitts/ibm7090.html
http://www.piercefuller.com/oldibm-shadow/709x.html
http://members.optushome.com.au/intaemul/INDEX.HTM


You could have found useful to read the old copies of the IBM Systems Journal
but ...

once upon a time they were free

but some fucking IDIOT IBM manager decided that IBM had to make money out of them

for a while the cost was about 3 dollars

after that the whole library was turned over to IEEE and the thieves charge 31 dollars for each article
( both members and non members )

just checked ... they want You You pay 31 dollars for the <preface> of the <number>

that' s what I call legalized piracy

is there any advantage of running this type of OS designed for Mainframes, on a basic computer ?

IBM sees it as an advantage, otherwise it would not have made available the RDz
http://www-01.ibm.com/software/rational ... r/systemz/

well all depends on the meaning of basics

Linux is becoming more popular, although usage is still fairly low from what I've heard.

And a modern PC running Hercules and MVS has as much (or more) processing capability as a 370/145 or 370/165 did back when they sold for millions of dollars. The architectures are different so they cannot really be directly compared, but Hercules systems can be considered the equivalent of 30-year-old mainframes.