I was recently asked if I could help someone find some good mainframe resources – especially listservs. There are indeed plenty of good listservs out there, and it dawned on me that if you are new to the mainframe, it is probably not blatantly obvious where to find them in order to subscribe. So here are a few good ones that I enjoy and find informative:
IBM-Main – this is the “main” mainframe listserv out there. There is a wealth of information about all sorts of topics, ranging from a very specific APAR announcement to general mainframe questions. This is definitely a heavy traffic listserv, so be warned ahead of time. But for a new mainframer like myself, there is usually some thread I can learn from and some of the smartest people I know post to IBM-Main. If you have a question to ask, someone will usually respond in minutes! ASM – this is the IBM Mainframe Assembler list, where programmers of all levels can share information and ask questions about the Assembler language. I find this very useful – not too much traffic and you can read about all kinds of goodies. Plus “the” assembler gurus are active on this list, so you can be sure the information is reliable! ISPF – The ISPF discussion list is also a low traffic, helpful list you can subscribe to whether you are a new or experienced ISPF user. As I mentioned in my last blog entry, ISPF is one of those facilities where it is hard to ever learn everything, so this is a first-rate place to ask your questions and pick up tips. TSO-REXX – I often integrate Assembler and REXX programs, and this is a great place to learn more about TSO and REXX. Very low traffic, but great information. (Note – in the link to subscribe, scroll down past the archives.) DB2 – I’m not a heavy DB2 user, but this is a great source of information if you are. RACF – I frequently monitor this list, as sometimes RACF issues come up when I’m coding in Assembler or running tests. Good information, as RACF can have many unexpected tricky areas! MVS – The MVS Open Edition listserv; tons of topics and great Q&A’s. (Note – in the link to subscribe, scroll down past the archives.) JES2 – Another useful list where you can get very specific JES2 questions answered. Topics include JCL, commands, job scheduling and much more! JES3 – The JES3 Sysprog list offers a variety of information and is sure to be helpful whether or not you are new to JES3.
I don’t subscribe to all of these, but often check the archives if I have a specific question in mind. For most of these, you can subscribe to the “digest” version, where you receive only one large email (weekly I believe) with all the threads, instead of individual emails for each thread. Don’t be afraid to post a question – there are smart people on these lists and people are often your best mainframe resource out there!
Any other good ones out there that I missed?
Til next week,
Kristine