MVMUA Meeting 96

Date: August 4, 1997

Location:

          Sheraton University City
          36th & Chestnut Street
          Philadelphia, PA 19104

Click here for travel information.


This MVMUA meeting heralds the next advances of VM and networked computing. IBM's Chris Casey describes IBM development to bring Java computing to VM (the Java Virtual Machine on the original VM - didn't we tell everybody that virtual machines were good ideas?) plus Mike Cowlishaw's NetRexx, that blends the best of Java and Rexx. Jeff Savit presents a Java tutorial to show how to program in this new language. Sterling Software's Phil Smith, a long-time VM hero, shows how to connect your VM system to the Internet, and Chris Bolinger, also of Sterling, shows how to use VM Web:Server to web-enable your valuable applications.

Jeff Savit, President


Session Times and Rooms

Sessions will be held in one of the hotel's conference rooms beginning at 9:00 AM and ending at 5:00 PM. Please refer to directory in hotel lobby for the specific room.

9:00 AM - GAB - General Association Business
Chaired by: Jeff Savit (MLP)

The MVMUA Board of Directors will report on MVMUA activities and will entertain questions, suggestions, and comments from the members.

9:15 AM - Java and NetRexx for OpenEdition VM/ESA
Speaker: Chris Casey, IBM

Java is a new object oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems whose run time implementation permits object code portability across heterogeneous platforms and provides other facilities that aid in developing and distributing network centric applications. NetRexx is an even newer language which blends traditional Rexx syntax, constructs, and simplicity with the Java object model, function, and portability, to produce a truly general purpose language for scripting and application programming. After giving an overview of Java and NetRexx, this talk describes an ongoing project to port the Java environment to OpenEdition VM/ESA and examines the potential utility and value of enabling Java application development on and for VM/ESA.

10:45 AM - Dipping a Toe into the Pool: Connecting a Mainframe to the 'Net
Speaker: Phil Smith, Sterling Software

Like the rest of the world, you've been reading about the Internet, but it hasn't mattered to your mainframe shop -- until now. The boss wants your VM, MVS, or VSE system connected to the 'net! What does this mean? How should you go about choosing an Internet Service Provider (ISP)? What about security? What else will you need? This session focuses on what's required to get connected, including some "gotchas", rather than what you can do with that connection once you have it.

1:00 PM - The VM Personal Net Machine
Speaker: Chris Casey, IBM

The Personal Net Machine converts your virtual machine into a special purpose net server meant to serve exactly 1 user. The emulator interface to the virtual machine is replaced by a combined web browser and CMS GUI interface. The user has access to "normal" virtual machine resources plus new resources such as HTML, Java applets and applications, intelligent agent applications, and cooperative applications which combine the capabilities of the PC and the virtual machine. The user served by this VM "groupware" retains all the unique advantages that the virtual machine paradigm provides, such as scalability, reliability, security, configurability, and application flexibility. Finally, since the "client" is very small, all of these capabilities could be made available thru a network station.

2:30 PM - Web-enabling Your Mainframe Applications
Speaker: Chris Bolinger, Sterling Software

Your organization probably has dozens or even hundreds of VM and other mainframe applications with one or more of the following characteristics:

These applications are proven and even business-critical, but they also have 3270 interfaces that your users dislike. One way of improving the interfaces is to web-enable the applications throu standard CGI scripts cannot do communicate through a user's mainframe userid or drive a full-screen (3270) session on that userid. This session explains how to use Sterling Software's VM:Webserver Gateway to write powerful CGI scripts that can web-enable all VM, VSE, and MVS applications.

3:45 - An Introduction to Java
Speaker: Jeff Savit, Merrill Lynch

This session introduces the Java language and basic Java programming. One of the most exciting developments in computing has been the new Java language from Sun. Java is an object oriented language that can be downloaded with a web page to execute on your browser. Java makes it possible to deliver client-side web applications that can do real time computation, graphics and network applications. This session will show you Java language syntax, programming methods, and how to create both Java applets and standalone applications.

5:00 PM - Problem Roundtable
Chaired by: Martha McConaghy (MAR)

The roundtable offers a forum for members to ask questions and bring up problems pertaining to VM.


Speakers:

Chris Bolinger
Sterling Software
Chris_Bolinger@Sterling.com
 
Chris Casey
IBM
USIB3NFW@ibmmail.com
 
Jeff Savit
Merrill Lynch
jsavit@ml.com
 
Phil Smith
Sterling Software, Inc.
Phil_Smith@Sterling.Com