Not sure how many of you guys know about the "simple" user interface that IBM
developed for using TSO ("time sharing option", the interactive bit of MVS /
OS/390 / z/OS) and it's called ISPF.
It's basically a set of screens that invoke TSO commands on behalf of the user (mostly
to compile / link programs, which is insanely complex on IBM systems for some reason).
Anyway, I thought it might be amusing to write an ISPF clone and deploy it on CHIMPY -
because I'm lazy I'm going to do it in Python (so it prob will never run on a
VAX), but I'll let you guys know when it's finished.
Basically I think I'll just define a "Panel Language" that is used to
describe the menu and what DCL command to run if that option is chosen. If I feel
particularly ambitious I might include 3270-like cursor key navigation of the panels as
well :)
NOTE: This is not a serious endeavour, more of a "wouldn't it be funny if this
looked like a mainframe" type idea..