People are usually confused in this, so I thought I'd post this for search hits.
To determine if you're using DFSORT (from IBM) or Syncsort (from Syncsort, Inc), run the PGM=ICEMAN JOB, actually any PGM=SORT or PGM=ICEMAN JOB. Look at the SYSOUT output. If it has ICExxxs messages, you're using DFSORT. If it has WERxxxs messages, you're using Syncsort.
Frank Yaeger - DFSORT Development Team (IBM) - yaeger@us.ibm.com
Specialties: JOINKEYS, FINDREP, WHEN=GROUP, ICETOOL, Symbols, Migration
=> DFSORT/MVS is on the Web at http://www.ibm.com/storage/dfsort
That's a nice sentiment and one that I don't often hear. Most people don't even think about all of the engineers, scientists, etc who developed all of the wonderful products we take for granted these days. (I personally couldn't thank the inventor of the DVR enough, whoever that was.) I suspect many developers never get to interact directly with people who use their products. I consider myself lucky to be able to participate on help boards where my product is discussed. It's great to be able to get firsthand feedback from people who are actually using the functions I developed.
Frank Yaeger - DFSORT Development Team (IBM) - yaeger@us.ibm.com
Specialties: JOINKEYS, FINDREP, WHEN=GROUP, ICETOOL, Symbols, Migration
=> DFSORT/MVS is on the Web at http://www.ibm.com/storage/dfsort
However, I would say that I'm luckier than you -- I do have the opportunity to "personally" Thank You. I still remember, i just started my career in Mainframes, and I put up some question on Sort and you were there to answer -- i asked how do you know this much about Sort and you simply said, "I "invented" ICETOOL"...!
Trust me -- I was too excited to have sleeps in nights for many nights... in a way I was influnced to learn more and more about mainframes -- i had a feel that when people like you are there to answer queries from a kid like me why not let's learn...so Thank You for being with us on this board . . .
Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad I was able to inspire you to learn more and help others on this board. And so the "cycle of mainframe knowledge" continues.
Frank Yaeger - DFSORT Development Team (IBM) - yaeger@us.ibm.com
Specialties: JOINKEYS, FINDREP, WHEN=GROUP, ICETOOL, Symbols, Migration
=> DFSORT/MVS is on the Web at http://www.ibm.com/storage/dfsort