IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe Edition - March/April 2012 - (Page 48) Stop Run An eclectic take on the mainframe world Reflecting on his career, mainframer Clarence Golson says , “It’s been a good life.” A Strong Connection Mainframer Clarence Golson reflects on a diverse career built on a single platform By Mike Westholder F ew careers span as many industries as Clarence Golson’s. Over nearly four decades, he’s worked for state government agencies, banks, a textile manufacturer, a coal-mining company, a hospital and NASA. However, the common thread in these varied jobs was the IBM mainframe. Selectric typewriter as the interface with an acoustic coupler.” His initial project involved creating a multilisting service to help the department of transportation determine comparable value of properties acquired for highway right-of-way. After moving to the department of revenue, Golson worked on a tax-return entry system, which was exceptional in its capability to process returns rapidly. “We never got more than one day behind,” he notes. “I’ve always had a strong connection to the mainframe,” says the recently retired Huntsville, Ala., resident, whose work focused on CICS* configuration, maintenance and programming. “In monitoring midrange equipment over the years … what I’ve seen has justified my belief that mainframes are the best thing out there.” “We were able to take aerial photos of mine sites, and with three known site points, extrapolate a mine plan. Based on that, you could tell how long it would take to mine that piece of property,” he recalls. Eventually, in 1997, Golson went to work as a contractor for NASA in Huntsville. While it might sound impressive, “the actual work was the same I’d been doing the previous 30 years—mainframe Assembler code, COBOL, session managers—providing the customers what they need. I think it appeared more glamorous than it was,” he says. That ’70s Mainframe After high school, Golson moved to Atlanta and attended Computer Career Institute, where his coursework introduced him to IBM Assembler, COBOL* and RPG. Golson accepted his first job in 1970, working for the state of Georgia as a programmer. There, he worked with an IBM System/360 Model 50 with 256 KB of memory. “The very first system I worked on was a time-sharing computer,” he recalls. “It used BASIC and an IBM On the Edge From these initial experiences, Golson recognized he was working with some cutting-edge technology being used in inventive ways. That would be a recurring theme as he helped establish several banks’ first ATM networks in the 1980s. But one of his most innovative projects involved a mining company. Retirement As he prepares for the next chapter in his life, Golson has one specific goal in mind: “Top of my bucket list is to go back to Flathead Lake and go fishing. It’s in Montana, and has nearly every species of trout there is. One species grows to 50 pounds, but I’d like to catch one just big enough to have for supper.” Mike Westholder is managing editor of IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe Edition. 48 MARCH/APRIL 2012 ibmsystemsmag.com/mainframe http://www.ibmsystemsmag.com/mainframe Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe Edition - March/April 2012 IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe Edition - March/April 2012 Table of Contents Editor’s Desk: Rethinking System z IBM Perspective: Smarter Computing, Enterprise Modernization and the Mainframe Insider: Proper Tools Can Bring Flexibility to Application Development IT Today: Six Things You Didn't Know About the Modern Mainframe Trends: Seven Reasons IT Projects Fail Cover Story: Agile Thinking: How to leverage existing technology to gain a competitive advantage Features: All Together Now: A centralized business analytics environment delivers great value Improving Upon the Gold Standard: System z pushes the limits of high availability Tech Corner: Processor Design Innovations Empower the z196 Developer: Accurate Project Scoping Helps Map Out a Faster Route to Success Solutions/Advertiser's Index: PASSPORT Host Integration Objects - LegaSuite 6 Stop Run: Mainframer Clarence Golson Reflects on a Diverse Career Built on a Single Platform IBM Systems Magazine, Mainframe Edition - March/April 2012 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/relevantz_20190102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/2019mfse http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20190102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20181112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20180910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20180708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20180506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20180304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20180102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/2018mfse http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20171112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170910_v2 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_sesupp http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20170102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_linuxsupp http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20161112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/MainframeSecurity http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20160910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20160708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20160506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20160304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20160102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20151112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150910_se http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/MFSkills http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150506_supp http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20150102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20141112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140910_v2 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_gt_201405 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/BigData http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20140102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20131112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130910_v2 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20130102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20121112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/buyersguide2013 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20120910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20120708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20120506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20120304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20120102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/ibmsystems_mainframe_2012bg http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20111112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20110910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20110708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20110506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20110304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20110102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20101112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100910_bg http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100506 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100304 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20100102 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20091112 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20090910 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20090708 http://www.ibmsystemsmagmainframedigital.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20090506 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ibmsystemsmag/mainframe_20090304 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mspcomm/ibmsystems_mainframe_200901 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.