#MVS

"Modify the assembler in the JCL and submit it. It's easy!" they said.

Four steps completed OK, RC=00... but blank screen!

#MVS #VintageComputing #Mainframes

Jonathan Emmesedijemmesedi@c.im
2025-03-31

With Kpop, I quite often post performance videos and stages rather than MVs proper. Most of the time, this choice reflects nothing but my personal preferences and preoccupations, so rarely does the question of whether an MV, a PV, or a stage is "better" arise.

When it comes to Le Sserafim -- Come Over, however, the question does arise, and an answer can be given that is not merely an expression of purely personal preference : the music show stages really are better than the MV.

Judging by the gushing comments on r/kpop, I think many will disagree with my judgement, so I ought to offer some justification. "Come Over" is a fun but repetitive bagatelle considered just as a piece of music. What makes it more than a forgettable trifle is the unusual and distinctive choreography, as I pointed out when I selected a Music Bank stage for #KpopOfTheWeek a fortnight ago: c.im/@jemmesedi/11417007132140

One would have hoped that a good performance video focusing on the choreography and the retro fashions that complement the choreography so well would have been released. Alas, no. What we get instead is a hybrid MV and CF for Android that actually omits some of the most striking dance moves, such as the opening sequence of high kicks. The synchronized swimmers are poor compensation . To make things worse, AI has been employed to incorporate a sequence of two group members' enlarged heads emerging from interior walls in a sequence more appropriate for a horror film.

What a missed opportunity this video was!

youtu.be/z_uqieM8VGM?si=O68Pk8

#Kpop #LeSserafim #ComeOver #MVs #PVs #Choreography

Zen & the Art of Digital Forensics

Forensic investigations are an intense and detail-oriented field where accuracy and efficiency are paramount. However, the constant pressure can often lead to stress and burnout. Whether dealing with IR (incident response) or ICAC (child exploitation cases), the weight of these responsibilities can take a toll on even the most resilient investigators.

I believe the principles of Zen offer a meaningful antidote to these challenges. Rooted in mindfulness, simplicity, and presence, Zen can provide forensic investigators with tools to manage stress, maintain focus, and approach their work with clarity.

By integrating Zen principles into forensic practices, investigators can navigate complex cases with a calm and focused mindset, enhancing both their effectiveness and well-being.

 

The Intersection of Zen and Forensic Investigation

Forensic investigations demand precision, attention to detail, and the ability to think clearly under pressure—qualities that align closely with Zen’s tenets. Zen, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism, emphasizes mindfulness, non-attachment, and direct experience. When applied to forensic work, these principles offer a balanced approach that helps investigators stay present and focused, even amid chaos and complexity.

At its core, Zen promotes mindfulness, simplicity, and patience. It encourages focusing on the present moment, embracing simplicity, and approaching life with balance and harmony. Unlike many traditional religions, Zen emphasizes personal practice over dogma, making it uniquely suited for practical application in various fields—including forensics.

 

Zen in Action: Enhancing Forensic Practice

Zen principles have been successfully applied in various fields. In art, minimalist movements reflect Zen’s emphasis on simplicity. In business, leaders like Steve Jobs drew inspiration from Zen’s focus on cutting away distractions to emphasize what truly matters. Athletes have credited mindfulness as the key to achieving “flow” or being “in the zone.”

These same principles can also benefit forensic investigators, helping them sift through overwhelming amounts of data to find what is essential.

Forensic investigations involve meticulous processes: evidence collection, analysis, interpretation, and testimony. Investigators must work under tight deadlines, with vast amounts of data, while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and objectivity. Success in this field requires a sharp mind, logical thinking, and effective stress management.

Introducing Zen to digital forensics offers a methodology for finding calm amid complexity. Let’s explore how specific Zen principles—mindfulness, non-attachment, simplicity, and patience—can enhance forensic practices.

 

Mindfulness (Nen): Staying Present

Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, and it is central to Zen. In forensic investigations, this means staying focused on the immediate task at hand, whether collecting evidence or analyzing data. By practicing mindfulness, investigators can significantly reduce errors, as their full attention is on the work in front of them.

This enhanced focus not only improves accuracy but also helps investigators maintain emotional control, enabling them to remain composed in high-pressure situations.

 

Non-Attachment (Muga): Letting Go of Bias

Non-attachment in Zen refers to letting go of ego and preconceptions. For forensic investigators, this means avoiding the temptation to form conclusions too early. Instead, they must allow the evidence to guide their analysis. Zen’s principle of non-attachment aligns perfectly with the objective nature of forensic work, where staying open to new insights is crucial.

By letting go of preconceived notions, investigators can avoid confirmation bias and follow where the facts truly lead.

 

Simplicity (Kanso): Focusing on the Essential

In today’s digital age, forensic investigators are often overwhelmed with vast amounts of data. The Zen principle of simplicity—focusing on what is essential and filtering out the rest—can help prevent burnout and increase efficiency.

By prioritizing relevant evidence, eliminating distractions, and simplifying their approach, investigators can better uncover the truth. This is especially important in triaging evidence and making decisions on what data to focus on in high-stakes cases.

 

Patience (Nintai): Embracing Perseverance

Forensic investigations often require piecing together seemingly disconnected fragments of data to understand the full scope of an incident. This process takes time, and rushing can lead to missed details or flawed conclusions. Zen teaches patience, which is invaluable for investigators who must wait for the full puzzle to come together before making final judgments.

In digital forensics, patience is essential when dealing with complex, fragmented, or encrypted data. Investigators must accept that not every case will yield complete answers and be willing to work with the available evidence.

 

Beginner’s Mind (Shoshin): Staying Open to New Possibilities

“Beginner’s mind,” or Shoshin, refers to an attitude of openness and curiosity, free from preconceptions. In digital forensics, where technology is constantly evolving, maintaining a beginner’s mind helps investigators remain open to new tools, techniques, and types of evidence.

By approaching each case with curiosity and humility, forensic investigators can discover new insights and avoid relying solely on past methods. This adaptability is significant in a field where outdated approaches can quickly become obsolete.

In Beginners Mind, you don’t know what you do know.

When we apply Beginners Mind to Digital forensics, we can say ‘ you don’t know what you don’t know’; but we can also say, ‘you don’t know what you DO know.’  Artifacts, and the techniques for their analysis, are constantly evolving.  As devices update, the means by which artifacts are stored and how we interpret them are subject to change.

Practical Zen Techniques for Forensic Investigators

  • Meditation: Regular meditation can enhance mental clarity, reduce anxiety, and improve focus—key qualities for investigators working under pressure.
  • Breathing Techniques: Simple breathing exercises can help investigators regain composure during stressful moments, allowing them to think more clearly.
  • Mindful Walking: Taking mindful breaks during long investigations can help reset the mind, promoting relaxation and sustained focus.
  • Attention to Detail: Mindfulness exercises can sharpen the ability to notice subtle yet critical details, which is vital in forensic investigations

 

Conclusion

Zen and digital forensics share core values such as focus, objectivity, patience, and clarity. A forensic investigator, much like a Zen practitioner, must cultivate a clear, focused mind, remain patient and persistent, and be open to whatever truth the evidence reveals. By integrating Zen principles into forensic practices, investigators can not only improve their performance but also maintain their mental well-being in a high-pressure environment.

In essence, Zen offers a path to calmness and clarity in a field where chaos and complexity often reign. Through mindfulness, non-attachment, simplicity, and patience, forensic investigators can enhance both their effectiveness and their personal sense of balance.

Note: This topic was first presented at the 2025 Magnet Virtual Summit. You can access the recording here.

#DFIR #MVS #Zen

2024-12-11

More cool #snk #neogeo #gaming #laserdiscs. I really have a soft spot for these play through videos. Kind of a proto-twitch but on #ld. #worldheroes #worldheroes2 #fightershistorydynamite #karnovsrevenge #mvs #aes

Graham RossiterCookies@mstdn.social
2024-12-11

I've now installed IBM #MVS 3.8j on 11 proper operating systems plus ubuntoy... Debian 12, FreeBSD 14, AlmaLinux 8+9, RockyLinux 9, Fedora 41 and the aforementioned ShitpileOS 24.04 LTS. Planned platforms include Raspberry Pi, OmniOS/OI-Hipster/Solaris10+11. Some of these are more aspirational than realistic. I'm sure a sysgen will turn an RPi SD card into a sobbing heap, but it seems like it Needs To Be Done.

I still know absolutely Jack Shit about MVS: Weird, arcane, shouty yet irresistible.

Anthony * GIGA POWER *24bitaje.bsky.social@bsky.brid.gy
2024-12-05

SNK vs. CAPCOM: SVC CHAOS | original arcade release 07.24.2003, Modern Console Re-Release 07.20.2024 | 🇯🇵 JPN Switch physical release by way of Play-Asia Online | {rec’d Wednesday December 4th, 2024} | #SNK #CAPCOM #MVS #24bit

2024-12-01

Apparently if you are a random WR with a hyphenated last name, you can score TDs at will. #MVS #NWI

Kevin Karhan :verified:kkarhan@infosec.space
2024-11-15

@hj yeah, #NeoTurfMasters is an awesome game.

  • I got the #MVS version cuz I'm not rich...
2024-11-13

Organizing my #neogeo #mvs #movelist & #minimarquee in my Canadian #transformers lunchbox.

2024-11-05

A buddy stayed over from the UK and gifted me this #neogeo mini sign & all of the #mvs movelist. I also got some sweet goods I bought over the years like the #uk #transformers stamps & #spiderman #300.

Graham RossiterCookies@mstdn.social
2024-10-31

The story so far looks a little like this.

I'd be genuinely interested in chatting & comparing notes with anyone attempting to do this, anyone seasoned in MVS old-or-new, or vintage mainframes/minis/superminis in general. My own experience, 2 decades ago, was some ICL VME on a dual node S39L65 ("Estriel") and large Unix platforms up to the E10K/Starfire. Have never experienced DEC or IBM in these sectors, apart from AIX.

Any other retro weirdos out there?

#MVS #RetroComputing #Mainframe

Example screenshot on my phone, showing an ssh to the server being used to build up vme. a rexx script has been run against the last routine's output to give a tab; then a growing collection of simulated disk and tape drives as well as some JCL scripts. I didn't build this cleverness.im just doing what it says to do, and trying (poorly) to look like I have even the faintest flying fork() about WHAT I'm doing.
Graham RossiterCookies@mstdn.social
2024-10-28

I'm somewhat struggling to take in the amount of sheer effort that went into producing such detailed step-by-step instructions for installing and setting up IBM #MVS 3.8j under the Hercules emulator, via jaymoseley.com/hercules/instal. There is so much detail, the steps are thorough and accurate, and they've taken me from a complete MVS novice to being close to viable startup.

I feel this effort, at no expense to me beyond time, warrants some public appreciation just as much as my gratitude.

RetroGamesManiaLele8182@mastodon.uno
2024-10-25

#neogeo #mvs #aes Dopo aver provato diversi joypad usb con la #misterfpga e questo #joypad originale , ho notato differenze marcate. La sua reattività si vede e si sente. Sono rimasto piacevolmente sorpreso. #snk

Joypad originale neo geoRetro del joypad originale neo geoSchermata di samurai shodown perfect per neo geo MVS
2024-07-08

My plan to combine my #VintageComputing interests/hobbies all into one pot comes a step further!

The #IBM s370 emulator in #Golang I've been watching can now IPL assembly decks!

Today I managed to get #9front updated on 9Pi4B but still #Plan9 refuses to let my user, or even glenda, use networking (/net/net/clone errors) - I'm hoping to have that all figured out in time to test #MVS on it! I haven't tried building #Hercules though I feel the current build process is hell

3270 client next!

2024-06-23

Sometimes we jokingly ask, “how hard can it be?” Don’t be complacent: even the simplest things can go wrong.

Early in my career as a software engineer, I worked on IBM System 360/370 mainframes programming customisations for the MVS operating system in assembler language.

Assembler language is not recommended for the faint of heart – […]

https://dave.moskovitz.co.nz/2024/06/23/even-the-simplest-things-can-go-wrong/

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