Re: Windows vs i5/OS as a platform

["Walden H. Leverich" <WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 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.

Not really missing the point. I get (and greatly enjoy) the joblog. I
don't know that I'd agree with "any time a system error..." but it is
damn close. However, you do get a decent level of logging in windows
event logs too, or at least you can. But I'm not trying to compare them.

> 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.

Yes! When system-level problems like these occur you do get the
messages. But as systems get more complex that's not really a help at
times. If you've got a n-tier setup (as you're well familiar with) and
the web tier talks to the business logic which updates the database
which fires a trigger with hits a locked record you will get a message,
yes. But in what job? On what system? To debug these more complicated
systems we need better logging and that's usually in the form of some
sort of .log file system. 

All I'm saying is, would the joblog be nice on windows? Sure! But is the
lack of the joblog really a problem? No. You're going to get the same
level of information from a (properly implemented) logging system that
you'd get from the job log, if not more. Log4j (commons logging now?)
and Log4Net being the two that come to mind.

-Walden

--  
Walden H Leverich III 
Tech Software 
(516) 627-3800 x3051 
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
http://www.TechSoftInc.com
 
Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur. 
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)