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 Post subject: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:33 am 

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:14 am
Posts: 49
Location: Seattle, WA
Real Name: Kathy Ice
There has been some discussion that we need a FAQ about MUMPS, in part to assist people new to MUMPS, and in part to dispel misconceptions about MUMPS. I'm a "words" person, and I'm happy to write up a FAQ for us, but I need everyone's help putting together the content. If you have ideas for what should be included, please post them here!

Thanks,

Kathy

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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:19 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:20 am
Posts: 16
Location: Portland, Oregon
Real Name: Martin Mendelson
Began Programming in MUMPS: 15 Feb 1983
Hi Kathy,

I propose that one FAQ should be, "Why do some people denigrate MUMPS so viciously?

I don't know the answer, but perhaps some other Mumpster does.

Marty


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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:02 am 
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Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:58 pm
Posts: 205
Location: Seattle, Washington
Real Name: Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall
Began Programming in MUMPS: 15 Jun 1984
One question should be "What does the acronym MUMPS stand for?"

Another should be "Is the name of the language M or MUMPS? How many different names does this thing have?"

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Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall, VISTA Expertise Network, 819 North 49th Street, Suite 203, Seattle, Washington 98103, (206) 465-5765, rick dot marshall at vistaexpertise dot net
"The hidden harmony is best." - Heraclitus of Ephesus


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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 9:29 am 

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:14 am
Posts: 49
Location: Seattle, WA
Real Name: Kathy Ice
What does MUMPS stand for?

MUMPS stands for Massachusetts Utility Multi-Programming System. “Massachusetts” because it was initially developed at Massachusetts General Hospital. It quickly spread beyond Massachusetts, but developers retained the name because they liked the acronym.

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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:04 am 
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Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:58 pm
Posts: 205
Location: Seattle, Washington
Real Name: Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall
Began Programming in MUMPS: 15 Jun 1984
Here are URLs to a two-part MUMPS FAQ developed by a team of Mumpsters over the years. We have permission to import it wholesale:

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/m-technology-faq/part1/

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/m-technology-faq/part2/

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Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall, VISTA Expertise Network, 819 North 49th Street, Suite 203, Seattle, Washington 98103, (206) 465-5765, rick dot marshall at vistaexpertise dot net
"The hidden harmony is best." - Heraclitus of Ephesus


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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 10:05 am 
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Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:58 pm
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Location: Seattle, Washington
Real Name: Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall
Began Programming in MUMPS: 15 Jun 1984
Some of the information in that FAQ needs to be updated, which we can do after we import it. We can use this thread to work through the items in need of correction.

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Frederick D. S. "Rick" Marshall, VISTA Expertise Network, 819 North 49th Street, Suite 203, Seattle, Washington 98103, (206) 465-5765, rick dot marshall at vistaexpertise dot net
"The hidden harmony is best." - Heraclitus of Ephesus


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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 11, 2010 1:38 pm 
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Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2010 11:20 am
Posts: 16
Location: Portland, Oregon
Real Name: Martin Mendelson
Began Programming in MUMPS: 15 Feb 1983
Sorry icecat, but it's Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming
System. For years Octo Barnett denied that it was chosen to achieve the acronym; but I believe that more recently he recanted and admitted to the intention.


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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 9:37 am 

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:14 am
Posts: 49
Location: Seattle, WA
Real Name: Kathy Ice
What does MUMPS stand for?

MUMPS stands for Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System. It quickly spread beyond Massachusetts, but developers retained the name because they liked the acronym.

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Kathy Ice
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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 9:47 am 

Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 8:14 am
Posts: 49
Location: Seattle, WA
Real Name: Kathy Ice
Wait, is the language called MUMPS or M? Why can't you make up your minds?

MUMPS was the original name of the language. During the 1990s there was a move to modernize the name, changing it from MUMPS to M. Some in the community thought this was a great idea. Some thought it was a terrible idea. The debate continues to this day.

The name has been officially changed to M, but many people still prefer the old name. Sometimes the language is listed as M[UMPS], to include both possibilities.

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 Post subject: Re: MUMPS FAQ Creation
PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:04 am 
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Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 4:02 pm
Posts: 71
Location: Houston TX
Real Name: David Whitten
Began Programming in MUMPS: 06 Jan 1982
[quote="icekat"][i]Wait, is the language called MUMPS or M? Why can't you make up your minds?[/i]

MUMPS was the original name of the language. During the 1990s there was a move to modernize the name, changing it from MUMPS to M. Some in the community thought this was a great idea. Some thought it was a terrible idea. The debate continues to this day.

The name has been officially changed to M, but many people still prefer the old name. Sometimes the language is listed as M[UMPS], to include both possibilities.[/quote]


It might be useful to explain why M[UMPS] includes both possibilities, since typing letters like: [optional-something] is not a way of writing that many new programmers have ever seen.


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