Windows vs i5/OS as a platform

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: albartell
>
> > How often have you wondered how the program got to a particular error
> point? Does the joblog actually help? I'd guess not.
>
> Maybe we are just dealing with different debugging approaches, but yes, I
> use the joblog ALL the time for errors.  You can go in and learn exactly
> what line of code threw the error.  You can also learn when the job
> entered
> the subsystem among other helpful info when debugging an error.  I would
> say
> you are missing out on a very nice feature of i5OS for debugging purposes,
> though it sounds like you run mostly pre-packaged software on your i5OS??
> where I am doing a lot of custom development.

I have to agree with you here, Aaron.  No offense meant, Walden, but I think
you may be missing one of the primary points, which is that any time a
system error occurs, a message is sent to the joblog.  Even more
importantly, that error is consistent, and verifiable, and usually can be
monitored.

That is, WHENEVER a file doesn't match the program, I get a 4131 error
telling me to recompile the program.  Similarly with program not found, or
file not found, or record locked, or even pointer error.  This level of
consistent error reporting make debugging a world easier.


> I'll guess it is safe to chalk this one up as a inferiority for Windows
> and
> a solid feature (outside of Websphere) for i5OS - correct?  I don't think
> we
> could call Windows inferior based on this one feature, though it is a big
> lacking in the Windows environment IMO.

Actually, in my mind it's a fundamental difference between the two systems.
It's an old, old saying that it's easy to program; debugging is the hard
part.  And these days, with the tools that do most of the work for you,
people who can't work their VCR can create Internet portals (yes, I meant
VCR -- that's kinda the point).  But when one of those store fronts breaks,
how does that coder find out what's wrong?  At least with a joblog you've
got a starting point.

Joe