Re: inherited cobol app., can't run (xm.exe)?

"Michael Mattias" <mmattias@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:orUAj.6202$pl4.5388@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> <docdwarf@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:fr11f2$65m$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> In article
>> <0457479f-d85a-43da-bd2f-51861fcee256@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>>>> > > "KJ" <n_o_s_p_a...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>
news:465b2ca6-3900-41e1-a6eb-0f60b8bb33bf@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> > > > Hello. I agreed to take on a COBOL conversion project.
>>
>> [snip]
>> Might I asked what reasoning you used to conclude that 'yes, I can
>> honestly and honorably say that I have the skills and experience to
>> perform the project for which I contracted myself'?
>

Are you sure the original poster was contracted, and what bearing does it 
have on whether or not he gets help?

Suppose there was no-one else available who would take it on?

People often find themselves in situiations they'd rather not be in. 
Sometimes it is through over-confidence, sometimes it is through 
foolishness, sometimes it is simply being told to do something if you want

to keep your job, occasionally it is because they have an eye to the "main

chance" and try to make a few bob... I don't see it as the province of
this 
forum to pontificate or make value judgements about it.

> I often disagree with DD, but in this case I simply must concur with his
> *****sment, and I'm not shy about taking it to the next step:
>
> Your saying "yes" to this project is nothing less than an insult to all 
> the
> true professionals here.

I think that's more than a bit harsh and disagree. Besides, as one of the 
professionals here, I don't feel insulted by this... :-) (Maybe I'm not a 
"true" professional by your definition, Michael (whatever that means...), 
but if being one means taking offence where none is intended, then I'd 
rather not be one...)

I don't see arrogance in the posts; I see a request for help with some
good 
advice being given.

We don't know the cir***stances under which KJ took this on. He may have 
been required to do this, and is doing the best he can. He has certanly
made 
some good progress given he doesn't have any source code...

I would be concerned if people asking for help here are now to be subject
to 
judgement as to their worthiness of receiving it.

Doc's admonition to "do your own homework" is a fair and reasonable 
response, if he feels that someone is seeking to get their homework done 
here, but that is not the same thing as someone who is working in the IT 
field requesting help for an aspect of programming which he is not expert 
in.

It seems pretty simple to me. If you want to help; do so. If you don't
want 
to help, then don't.

Value judgements are in no way constructive or helpful, and actually
reflect 
very poorly on the people making them, at least as far as I'm concerned.

Are COBOL "professionals" now so endangered by the dimini****ng market that

they will withhold help from others, like a closed Cult protecting its
Holy 
Secrets? It was partly because of that attitude that COBOL fell into
decline 
in the first place.

Yes, we make a living selling skill, but if you sold bread, would you
never 
give the odd bun away? If you were a butcher, would you not give a kid a 
saveloy? I guess it comes down to personality and attitude, just like any 
field of endeavour.

>
> As far as I am concerned you are entitled to and should expect exactly 
> zero
> additional assistance here and can wallow in your own arrogance.

Again, I disagree, although I respect your right to feel that way,
Michael.

>
> The only redeeming feature here is that your use of an alias and fake 
> email address seems to
> indicate you have a least a modi*** of guilt for doing this, and you can

> build on that.

Or, it could just be that he doesn't want to reveal who he is in a Usenet 
forum. If using a nom-de-plume is now to be cause for suspicion and 
withholding help, then I guess we won't be seeing any further replies to 
posts from Doc Dwarf.... :-)

Pete.
-- 
"I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."