3 ms·

I know a few mainframe folks. I don't think there's a single answer, but there are definitely a few inhibiting factors. * The documentation for mainframe stuff

I know a few mainframe folks. I don't think there's a single answer, but there are definitely a few inhibiting factors. * The documentation for mainframe stuff is incredibly comprehensive compared to what most people are used to, so there's less need for something like Sewer Overflow. * The code people are working on is likely to be proprietary, so no GitHub. * Mainframes are often used in security-conscious environments where "openness" is not a core value and might even be considered negative. * People working in that area might like being part of a relatively closed community (lower supply = better pay) so they don't advertise. And then there's just critical mass. Since there aren't already a lot of mainframe programmers Out There, and mainframe programmers' work has few technical "touch points" with the rest of the world (e.g. different languages, libraries), it almost makes more sense to flip the question around. Why would there be more info on the web about IBM mainframe programming?

ghaff 4y ago
I think that hits a lot of it. And while "mainframe" (really IBM z/OS, z/VM, CICS, etc. in this context) is probably the most prominent example, the same applies to a lot of other "legacy" computing like MUMPS, ADA, IBM i, other mainframes and minicomputers still in use, etc. Collectively, there's still a lot of that sort of thing but it's essentially all proprietary and there's not much in the way of community except informally though, in many cases, there are still user groups, etc.
- notacoward 4y ago
  I know a bunch of MUMPS folks too and yes, it's a very similar vibe. Ditto with other "niche" tech communities. Some people just really like those little pockets outside of the mainstream. One of my mainframe friends frequently posts pictures of RL gatherings of that community where he is, and it definitely seems like a good scene to be in. If I ever had to un-retire, it might well be into something like that.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    It's not the sort of thing I'd really recommend a young person to get into. I've seen people who were basically world experts on $LEGACY_THING as interest in said thing declined to zero and it wasn't pretty. But there are also some fairly large niches and they're probably a comfortable enough place for a veteran to coast late career.
bombcar 4y ago
The mainframe programmers are skilled in the programming, so the questions they'll be asking will often be business logic questions, not "how do I assign a variable". So even if you do see a mainframe programmer in the wild asking a question, you probably won't recognize it.

ghaff 4y ago

I think that hits a lot of it. And while "mainframe" (really IBM z/OS, z/VM, CICS, etc. in this context) is probably the most prominent example, the same applies to a lot of other "legacy" computing like MUMPS, ADA, IBM i, other mainframes and minicomputers still in use, etc. Collectively, there's still a lot of that sort of thing but it's essentially all proprietary and there's not much in the way of community except informally though, in many cases, there are still user groups, etc.

notacoward 4y ago
I know a bunch of MUMPS folks too and yes, it's a very similar vibe. Ditto with other "niche" tech communities. Some people just really like those little pockets outside of the mainstream. One of my mainframe friends frequently posts pictures of RL gatherings of that community where he is, and it definitely seems like a good scene to be in. If I ever had to un-retire, it might well be into something like that.
- ghaff 4y ago
  It's not the sort of thing I'd really recommend a young person to get into. I've seen people who were basically world experts on $LEGACY_THING as interest in said thing declined to zero and it wasn't pretty. But there are also some fairly large niches and they're probably a comfortable enough place for a veteran to coast late career.

bombcar 4y ago

The mainframe programmers are skilled in the programming, so the questions they'll be asking will often be business logic questions, not "how do I assign a variable". So even if you do see a mainframe programmer in the wild asking a question, you probably won't recognize it.