Conference koolit::vms_curriculum

A draft of this module is available for review in:

	SUPER::ES$REVIEW:[RA0293]RA0293_CHAP_4_PROFILE.PS

    I found the flow of this chapter OK.
    My nits, typos and other observations are below.

    NOTE: These are my feelings etc. not of the UK as a whole.

    I comment on typos etc on instructor pages as well as customer pages.
    Instructors deserve to have unambiguous, correctly spelled and
    technically accurate information too! :-)
    
    There's text missing from this chapter.

Page	Observation
----    -----------

1-3	Last line: blah-blah: ??

1-6	Table 1-1: Include the HYPHEN in the list of characters
	for use in file names and file types.

1-7a	There are various cultural differences in the use of the 
	word "rubber". I feel a better word might be "elastic"

1-16	The DIRECTORY *.*;* command deserves a rider to say
	it's equivalent to DIRECTORY. I know it's mentioned
	at the top. Perhaps the table needs simplifying?

1-26	Delete word "get"

This chapter was huge, and was overwhelming for students and instructor
during the pilot.  It has been broken into two chapters, available 
online:

	Chapter 3 - "Naming and Storing Files"
		    Contains file specifications and directories.
		    SUPER::ES$REVIEW:[RA0293]RA0293_CHAP_3_FILES1.PS

	Chapter 5 - "Manipulating Files"
		    COPY, PRINT, DELETE, etc.
		    SUPER::ES$REVIEW:[RA0293]RA0293_CHAP_5_FILES2.PS

The material on logical names has been trimmed down and moved to the 
new chapter 9, "Customizing Your Working Environment".  This will be
available on May 2:

	SUPER::ES$REVIEW:[RA0293]RA0293_CHAP_9_CUSTOM.PS

    Just a few observations.
    
    Page 1-5:
    A text file might contain: output from a DCL command?
    This is probably the simplest way that students, at this
    stage of the course, could create a file.
    
    Page 1-6:
    Is the <DIRECTORY> form worth mentioning? Old command procedures
    and other software may contain this style. Don't wish to confuse
    novices but instructors new to VMS might like this as ammunition
    without mentioning it explicitly.
    
    Page 1-8:
    The entry for:  $ DELETE/CONFIRM %%%STATUS.TXT;* 
    should make it clear that "...any file that has a NINE character file
    name..." (This has changed since the first review materials were
    released).
    
    Page 1-9a:
    I can't resist adding that some people like working in a mess!
    Some people just like desks piled up with all sorts of paperwork.
    Doesn't follow that their VMS directory structure is similarly messy
    but some people just don't like being organized.
    
    Some software layered on VMS insists on a proper subdirectory structure
    - CMS, SCA, DTM in VAXset, for example, if instructors need additional
    ideas. This is probably covered by the reference to projects later
    on page 1-11a.
    
    Page 1-13:
    The command SET DEFAULT will also accept a node name ahead of a
    device spec.
    
    -- Keith

   The comments below refer to the revised module:

		Manipulating Files

   Page 1-7:
   The last item /PROTECTION=(x): the parenthesised item might cause
   confusion/consternation. How about using the text from the help on
   COPY /PROTECTION= thus:

    /PROTECTION=(ownership[:access][,...])

   Page 1-12a:
   /AFTER - a short note to explain absolute and delta times?

   (Below is stolen from HELP):

   ABSOLUTE TIME
       Absolute time is a specific date and/or time of day.
       An absolute date/time has one of the following formats:

           [dd-mmm-yyyy[:]][hh:mm:ss.cc]
           TODAY
           YESTERDAY
           TOMORROW

       If you  specify both the date and the time, the intervening colon
       is required.  You can omit any of the trailing fields in the date
       or time.  You can  omit any  of the  fields in  the middle of the
       format as long as you specify the punctuation marks.

   DELTA TIME
       Delta time is an offset from the current time to a  time  in  the
       future.  A delta time has the following format:

           [dddd-] [hh:mm:ss.cc]
       
       You can truncate delta time on the right.  You can also omit  any
       of the fields in the middle of the format as long as you  specify
       the punctuation marks.

   (Why doesn't this explanation refer to an interval instead of using
   DP jargon?!)

   Page 1-12:
   Bottom of Table 1-4: /NOTIFY only works if the terminal is set
   to BROADCAST (the default).

   Page 1-13:
   I think the first sentence might be simplified towards its close:

   "...SHOW QUEUE command to display the status of jobs in a print queue."

   Typo on penultimate line: "...do not specify an entry..."
                                                --
   Page 1-16:
   A perishable date field in callout 3! (Or should it be perishing?)

   Page 1-19:
   /JOB_COUNT entry in table: when describing n let's use the text
   that's used for COPIES=n rather than "...is a decimal integer..."

   That is: "The value of n can be any number from 1 to 255."

   /NOTIFY only works if the terminal is in default /BROADCAST mode.
   This won't necessarily be the case for captive accounts or those
   from which special applications are run(ning). Instructors
   ought to be aware of this and use their discretion about say/no say.

   Page 1-31:
   Odd bit of Englican or Amerlish in callout 6:
   "...two highest versions...". Could use something like:
   "...two most recent versions..." or, as HELP suggests,
   "...two highest numbered versions."
    

Thanks for taking the time to review these chapters so thoroughly, Keith.
I've incorporated your suggestions and corrected the errors.

Regarding your comment about people with messy desks...has someone told
you about mine?

	K.