This is a consortium of firms that have put together an ambitious one-stop location for the 3000, including both hardware and software support. Their web site contains many technical papers and downloads. Plus they are producing a newsletter with useful tips. For example, the May issue is online at:
http://www.resource3000.com/news/pdf/R3Knews_V1N2_May05.pdf
This issue has articles about which version of MPE is right for you, configuring remote console on 9x7 servers, problems with fragmentation on big disks, and how to install and fully enable a new network printer without having to reboot your 3000.
For example, here is an extract from the article on remote consoles:
"Controlling your server with a remote modem on 9x7 servers requires special considerations and an understanding of the underlying principles of the access port. This article has been highly condensed and the full article covers detailed troubleshooting along with in-depth explanations. ... "
The full article is on their web site at:
http://www.resource3000.com/papers/remoteconsole.html
Ron Seybold has started a blog for his 3000 Newswire magazine. And so far it is excellent. He has interesting stories almost every day. Here are a few of my favorites:
"Contributions still safe, but index in stealth mode" (on the MPE library)
"The lights are off, the bankruptcy filed" (with a picture of the empty Interex office)
"Get better networked in beta" (about networked printing enhancement)
And Ron already has one guest posting by Gilles Schipper on DAT and DDS tapes.
Ron has enabled comments on his blog, which allows readers to add their own information and opinions to his writing. Over time, this feature has the potential to create a new forum for MPE users to solve their problems.
Ron's 3000 blog supports syndication: you can use a news reader to see a summary of the newest stories, and click through to read them. This means you don't have to go to his site to check if there is anything new; the newsreader lets you know. The "reader" that I use is www.bloglines.com - on the 3000newswire.blogs.com site, you right click on the "Subscribe to this blog's feed" link in the right column and save the link to the clipboard, then past it into the Add Feed function in Bloglines.
The mailing list for HP 3000 users is still going strong, hosted on the Raven server at University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. It is nice to see 3000 enthusiasts helping other 3000 users. From the fourth week in August, there were questions (and answers) on the FEQ Foption, extending logon udc security to FTP access, Vesoft security, Maestro problems, "Composite of Operands Too Big" in COBOL II, the last ever 6.5 patch tape, and my favorite on ordering MPE OS tapes:
Subject: I need to order 7.5 OS tapes for an HP3000 What 800 number do I call... Below was already done.... So today we have found a new country call center while dialing HP dial a joke (800-633-3600) Costa Rica, I spoke to AMY to order a set of 7.5 tapes for my HP3000. I give her my support contract number and she tells me that she will be transfering me to the correct 800 number. (800-752-0900)... Now I am speaking to BHUSAN from India. He explains to me that he has to send me to the proper Queue. While I am waiting for a new person I am listening to lovely music. The call started at 10:12AM EST and is now 10:30AM EST. I have already heard I am in the Queue and now have been placed with a person from Colorado named Pete who is asking me what I want to order and now he wants to create a caseID. While I am waiting for Pete to setup a case ID 3211940235. It is now 10:45 and Pete has assured me he will call me when he figures out where he needs to call to find out where I need to go to get my 7.5 OS tapes..... Now I may be STUPID, but can there be a separate number for HP to order OS tapes for the HP3000.
http://groups.google.com/group/ecometry?lnk=oa&hl=en
For example:
I wonder if any suprtool gurus can help me with this one: I want to update a field to the date in another field (in the same record) minus 6 days. Here's what I have so far but I'm getting an error because I can't figure out how to tell it to subtract: GET PROG-CUSTOMER ITEM LAST-ACTION-DATE DATE YYYYMMDD ITEM LAST-SHIP-DATE DATE YYYYMMDD IF LAST-ACT-DATE=$DATE(2008/08/18) UP EXT LAST-ACT-DATE=$DAYS(LAST-SHIP-DATE-6)(How do I tell it to subtract?) X Error: Item "LAST-SHIP-DATE-6" does not exist $DAYS(LAST-SHIP-DATE-6)The answer to this Ecometry user's problem came from Neil:
Hi this is doable but takes more than one pass.
/RUN SUPRNM.PUBNEW
SUPRTOOL/iX/Copyright Robelle Solutions Technology Inc. 1981-2005.
(Version 4.9.01 Internal) TUE, AUG 23, 2005, 11:30 AM Type H for help.
>IN DATES {I have a file with dates}
>L
>XEQ
>IN DATES.NEIL.GREEN (0) >OUT $NULL (0)
A = 20050823 {date is for today}
etc etc...
>in dates
>def b,1,4,double
>item b,date,julian
>ext b=$days(a) - 6 {convert to julian days minus six days}
>out file,link
>xeq
IN=15, OUT=15. CPU-Sec=1. Wall-Sec=1.
>in file
>def c,1,4,double
>ext c=$stddate(b) {convert to yymmdd}
>list
>xeq
>IN FILE.NEIL.GREEN (0) >OUT $NULL (0)
C = 20050817
Robelle has come out with Suprtool version 4.9, continuing a tradition of yearly updates for MPE that started in 1978.
Adager has certified their product with the LFDS patch (Large File Data Set).
Speedware is busy installing a product called AMXW that emulates MPE commands and intrinsics on other platforms. Even when we do have to give up the 3000, we can still enjoy the feel of MPE.
David Byrns of Summit Systems has even created a new product for the HP 3000, an IMAGE logfile analyzer that helps system managers with SOX audit compliance.
The Jazz web site continues to add new tools and info. For example, the Newswire reported that HP as added a new tool "to report on the firmware levels in the 3000's Fast/Wide SCSI and MFIO multifunction cards."
Other enhancements to MPE include better granularity on FTP access control, a new set of Command Interpreter features, a Large Disk patch, enhancements to network printing, and more.
For a platform that many have declared dead, the HP 3000 looks very alive.