Re: Checking the level of interest

[James Lampert <jamesl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

rob@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> V5 allows you to remove observability, yet still have enough in there to 
> move to V6.  Read the redpiece.

Hmm. Read the redpiece. Also read the CHGPGM RMVOBS help on our V5 test box:

> Some programs retain unobservable creation data
> even when observable creation data is removed. 
> OPM programs created for release V5R1M0 or later
> (TGTRLS parameter when the program was created) 
> will always contain creation data even when *ALL
> observability is removed.  ILE programs created 
> only from modules created for release V5R1M0 or 
> later will always contain creation data even    
> when *ALL observability or *CRTDTA observability
> is removed.

I'm fascinated. (I'm fascinated, too. Right here on the arm.)

Of course, even with all the security holes IBM is plugging, they 
probably haven't expended much effort to make sure that malicious 
hackers can't get into this "unobservable" creation data and use it 
against developers.

Fortunately, nothing we sell still involves unsupported hacks (the 
closest we get to that is displaying datalink fields in QuestView, and 
allowing QV to open files with LOB fields without crashing) or anything 
patched to system state.

I'm still in shock from learning that the maximum length of zoned and 
packed fields has been expanded (and not quite sure how much of a pain 
in the fundament it will be to deal with that in QV)