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a mainframe partially developed with a graphical user interface

English translation: helping users with their daily work on custom programs with a graphical user interface. As these mainframe programs are still un

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:a mainframe partially developed with a graphical user interface
Selected answer:helping users with their daily work on custom programs with a graphical user interface. As these mainframe programs are still un
Entered by: Kim Metzger

21:12 Jun 24, 2002
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - IT (Information Technology) / IT
English term or phrase: a mainframe partially developed with a graphical user interface
This is from a text I'm proofreading and since IT is not my specialty, I'm having trouble finding the right words for the above sentence. Help much appreciated.

We are looking for a User Support to begin work at the earliest possible date. In this position you will be in charge helping users with their daily work on special designed programs on a mainframe partially
developed with graphical user interface and passing forward qualified information to the developers in Germany and as well to the organisational department at our location. Your job encompasses the testing of new programs, help desk, problem reporting and also developing small applications using MS-Offices products.
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 00:58
Trying to apply some logic...
Explanation:
on special designed programs: custom programs or non-standard programs.

on a mainframe - The concept of a mainframe is one huge machine with vast computing power somewhere in a basement and lots of user connceting to it via terminals.

partially developed with graphical user interface - Either the software is completely graphics-based and there are some program functions missing. Or there used to be a (completely functional) text-based program which is going to be shifted out. For some functions, the user still has to work on the old (text-based) program, while for some functions, the new (graphics-based) program is available.

Conclusion:
A program switching back and forth between text and graphics modes doesn't make to much sense. Based on the use of a mainframe, and the (assumed) use of terminals, I would think the users need to work on two programs. One program is text-based, and with this program, the users don't need suppord. They are accustomed to it. The second (new) program is still under development, and the users need support for the functions they already use.
Hence, this is my approach:
...helping users with their daily work on custom programs with a graphical user interface. As these mainframe programs are still under development, you will be in charge of passing forward qualified information to the developers...

Selected response from:

Klaus Herrmann
Germany
Local time: 08:58
Grading comment
Thank you Klaus, for the nice explanation. My thanks to everyone else as well. Luckily, it was a very short text and after I had reworded the questionable phrasing, the customer informed me that he wanted everything to stay the way it was, that he only wanted spelling errors corrected. The customer is king!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4partially developed graphical user interface
jerryk (X)
4 +1no help
jccantrell
4 +1mainframe programs, some of which were developed with a GUI
Ulrike Lieder (X)
4a mainframe that was partially developed with a GUI
Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
3users work on a mainframe with programs which have a partially graphical user interface
Endre Both
3Trying to apply some logic...
Klaus Herrmann


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
partially developed graphical user interface


Explanation:
There is no such thing as a partially developed mainframe, at least if it works. A Mainframe is just a large computer. The graphical interface for users is, apparently, under development.
Thus, the visual aspect of seeing data and entering data through the computer terminal and screen is being modified, and is not totally functional.

jerryk (X)

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Patricia Fierro, M. Sc.
3 mins
  -> many thanks
agree  modilingua
1 hr
  -> many thanks
agree  Chris Rowson (X): Yes, probably there is a part-developed GUI, the rest is done with the old character displays. "A mainframe [system] partially provided with a ..."
1 hr
  -> many thanks
agree  John Kinory (X): You should have seen some of the mainframes on which I was playing Adventure in the 1970s, though :-)
1 hr
  -> I had the same experience, actually, but I think my point still holds. Especially these days.
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
users work on a mainframe with programs which have a partially graphical user interface


Explanation:
...is what seems most logical (some parts of the program are text- or command-line-based, some have a graphical interface), in which case however your text is pretty garbled. Is there no original (source) text?

"mainframes developed with a graphical interface" doesn't make much sense to me.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-06-24 21:30:43 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Jerryk\'s version above doesn\'t stretch the grammar of the sentence any more than mine, but I have some trouble imagining users doing daily work with a partially developed program. Depends on who the users are :-)

Endre Both
Germany
Local time: 08:58
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in HungarianHungarian
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Trying to apply some logic...


Explanation:
on special designed programs: custom programs or non-standard programs.

on a mainframe - The concept of a mainframe is one huge machine with vast computing power somewhere in a basement and lots of user connceting to it via terminals.

partially developed with graphical user interface - Either the software is completely graphics-based and there are some program functions missing. Or there used to be a (completely functional) text-based program which is going to be shifted out. For some functions, the user still has to work on the old (text-based) program, while for some functions, the new (graphics-based) program is available.

Conclusion:
A program switching back and forth between text and graphics modes doesn't make to much sense. Based on the use of a mainframe, and the (assumed) use of terminals, I would think the users need to work on two programs. One program is text-based, and with this program, the users don't need suppord. They are accustomed to it. The second (new) program is still under development, and the users need support for the functions they already use.
Hence, this is my approach:
...helping users with their daily work on custom programs with a graphical user interface. As these mainframe programs are still under development, you will be in charge of passing forward qualified information to the developers...



Klaus Herrmann
Germany
Local time: 08:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you Klaus, for the nice explanation. My thanks to everyone else as well. Luckily, it was a very short text and after I had reworded the questionable phrasing, the customer informed me that he wanted everything to stay the way it was, that he only wanted spelling errors corrected. The customer is king!
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38 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
no help


Explanation:
Kim, if this is a representative sample of what you are proofing, you have my sympathy!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-06-24 21:51:37 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And, you are probably not charging enough!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-06-24 21:51:43 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

And, you are probably not charging enough!

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 23:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Endre Both: Hopefully charging by the hour :-)
8 hrs
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41 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a mainframe that was partially developed with a GUI


Explanation:
part of the mainframe is accessible from a GUI while the rest would be accessible using Unix or some other program to write commands to get the thing to work. It sounds to me like the person needs to know how to write commands in Unix

Jane Lamb-Ruiz (X)
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PortuguesePortuguese
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
mainframe programs, some of which were developed with a GUI


Explanation:
I'd say Jane's on the right track; it seems they are trying to differentiate between the user interfaces of the various programs.

Trying to translate back into German, I get the impression that we have speziell entwickelte Programme (die auf einem Mainframe laufen), teilweise mit einer grafischen Benutzeroberfläche, und die Weitergabe von qualifizierten Informationen an die Entwickler....

IOW, it's not the mainframe that was partially developed with a GUI, but rather (at least that's how I would interpret it) some of the programs that were developed with a graphical user interface and/or are accessed via a GUI, while others are text/command-based (such as UNIX and others).

Actually, IMHO, the entire text sounds like proofreading might not be enough, but that a major re-write is required.

Ulrike Lieder (X)
Local time: 23:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  vixen
8 hrs
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