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- New Programmers RoundTable
- by Holly Jahangiri
-
- The Programming and Programming Languages RoundTable (P&PL, for short)
- provides a forum for discussions of all aspects of designing, developing,
- testing, and implementing application software for mainframe and
- mini-computer hardware, peripherals, and operating systems.
-
- Technical discussions of machine-specific procedures for microcomputers are
- found elsewhere on GEnie, such as the IBM PC or Macintosh RoundTables, while
- the Programming and Programming Languages RoundTable entertains broad
- discussions of programming and programming language concepts. Novices and
- professional programmers alike are invited to share ideas and experiences.
-
- The heart of the P&PL's RoundTable is its Bulletin Board where categories
- are dedicated to major programming languages (Assembler, COBOL, FORTRAN,
- PL/I, RPG, C and C++, Pascal, BASIC, and Mumps), and 4th Generation
- languages such as FOCUS, SAS, and EASYTRIEVE. Less-used languages from A to
- Z also have a home here.
-
- No Dust in THIS Library!
-
- The Software Libraries contain shareware and public domain compilers,
- utilities, and general-purpose programs, as well as digests of several
- language-related newsgroups from Internet.
-
- For Assembly language programmers, PC/370, Release 4.2 (file #12 PC370.ZIP),
- is a System/370 Assembler, Emulator, and Debugger -- the last version that
- was released as shareware before licensing to Micro-Focus. The enhanced
- commercial version is MF/370. Download file #16 ASMLIB.ZIP for a set of
- S/370 assembly language routines that can be called from high level
- languages.
-
- For COBOL programmers, the Library offers a shareware COBOL compiler (#18
- COBOL650.ZIP) which supports Screen-I/O Format 4, Indexed-Files, and
- Sort-Merge. The DPATH.ARC (file #19) utility searches the paths from the
- %PATH% variable and is required for COBOL 6.50.
-
- File #301 MUMPSIS.TXT contains an introduction to Mumps which, rather than a
- disease, is the ANSI standard language with a built-in database. It covers
- common questions and answers about Mumps and why it might be appropriate for
- your next application. DATATREE.ZIP (file #312) features a slightly
- scaled-down version of Datatree's commercial MUMPS version 4.3, revision K
- for DOS. It is 1990 ANSI compliant with some Type A revisions.
-
- Version 1.066 of Complete-C (file #269 COMPLETC.ARC) is an impressive object
- oriented tool kit for the C language. Complete-C implements extensions to
- the C language based on Objective-C. Included are a language translator,
- class library, and example applications.
-
- You'll also find general programming utilities, such as Programmers'
- Integrated Environment version 2.0 (#11 PIE2U.LZH) which allows you to edit,
- compile, link, debug, and test a program in development. PIE works with most
- popular programming languages (Pascal, Basic, C++, and others), and is
- especially useful for larger projects.
-
- Programmers Galore
-
- Glenna Frost, chief sysop of the P&PL RoundTable, is an independent
- consultant in operating system support for mainframes and personal
- computers. She is also in charge of the Mini/Mainframe RoundTable at Page
- 1145, and the new DataCommunications and Interconnectivity RoundTable at
- Page 1450.
-
- P&PL RoundTable senior assistant Ken "Geoff" Geoffrion has been working on
- IBM mainframes since 1972. He has experience as an applications programmer,
- systems programmer, and technical services management in MVS/370 and MVS/XA
- environments, and programs IBM-compatibles as a hobby. The additional
- efforts of assistants Alan Glassman and Joe Holliday help the RoundTable run
- smoothly. Alan, a contract programmer working on PowerBuilder/Oracle
- development, manages the Pick and Mumps sections of the Bulletin Boar d,
- while Joe is Software Librarian and Help Desk Coordinator.
-
- Live Help Desks
-
- The Programmers Help Desk operates in Real-Time Conference on Thursday and
- Friday nights from 10:00 PM to 12:00 PM Eastern time to answer questions
- about programming. Drop by Wednesday nights at 10:00 PM Eastern to talk
- about a variety of programming topics. Discuss every programmer's FAVORITE
- subject, documentation, with professional technical writers on Wednesday,
- January 12 at 10:00 PM. Watch GEnie's Top Page announcements for more great
- Programming Conferences to come.
-