prematurely or abnormally terminates. It does not process to normal end of job (EOJ). When this occurs, the  operator  is  expected  to  take  whatever  corrective actions are necessary to get the job going again. More often than not, the operator is able to recover a job by recreating a tape/disk file, moving the file to another device,  or  possibly  cleaning  the  read/write  mechanisms of the device prior to rerun. But, there are times when the operator will notify you (the I/O control clerk) to assist in correcting the problem. Such would be the case when the input parameters are in error, the user’s input is bad, or the job aborted because of an unrecoverable program error. If this happens, you maybe responsible for collecting all the data, both input and output, along with any memory dumps, and forwarding them all to the programmer. During the recovery phase of an operation, the oper- ator may need you to provide certain input parameters or tape/disk files before the job can be executed. Because of time constraints, a job that abnormally terminates may have to be rescheduled. If so, you may be  responsible  for  seeing  to  it  that  the  job  gets rescheduled and that the user is notified of any job delay. We could go on and on, but by now you are beginning to get the picture. These examples are just a few of the many things that can get in the way of achieving a normal EOJ. We bring them to your attention to make you aware of the types of problems that can and do arise, and the manner in which you are to respond. Hopefully, you now know and are aware that monitoring a job means more than just calling up the operator to see how the job is progressing. It means you must oversee the job to its completion, doing whatever is necessary to help keep the job (or system) on track. Output Products Output from computer processing—The work that has been completed—may take the form of a printed document, magnetic tape, or magnetic disk or diskette. In all cases, both you and the computer operator are responsible  for  ensuring  that  all  completed  jobs  run successfully.  In  addition,  you  are  responsible  for identifying  and  coordinating  the  various  outputs  for each job, and for initiating their correct distribution. To  determine  whether  a  job  (or  system)  ran successfully (to a normal EOJ) and that all processing steps were properly performed, you may have to review the computer console printout. This printout indicates such things as the number of input records read, the various input files updated, all error conditions (error messages) that the operator encountered during the run and the resulting actions taken, the various output files created, and so on. In the majority of cases, the computer console print- out will provide you with the answers you are looking for  when  it  comes  to  reconciling  processing  discrepancies. For example, it will inform you of the reasons certain output products—tapes, diskettes, or report listings— were not produced. Possibly the operator selected an incorrect program option, or the input parameters were incorrect or incomplete before starting the job. In short, you are responsible and also accountable for every job you work on, from the time it is submitted by the user until its delivery back to the user. When checking the user’s output, you should once again refer to the run sheet and/or task folder to verify that all items requested were, in fact, produced. If the output is in the form of magnetic tape, disk, or diskette, be  sure  it  is  labeled  properly,  given  the  proper classification,  and  it  is  on  the  appropriate  media (magnetic media that has been designated for mail-out or  distribution  only). When checking reports, make sure they were run on the proper forms (size and type), that no pages are missing and the correct number of copies were printed, and that all print is legible and lined up properly. Once the output is checked, you then package each completed copy of the report, along with any other out- put products and the original input, place it in the proper pickup area, and log the job out in the job control log. You may need to notify the user when the job is ready. If, during the course of checking over the user’s output, you happen to come across something unusual or you find an error, by all means, pull (reject) the job immediately, bring it to the attention of your superior, and notify the user of the delay. Even at this late stage, it is better to reject a job to correct any problems or discrepancies rather than to release it, only to have it returned for rerun later. USER SUPPORT The term  user support covers a broad range of duties. They  include  answering  inquiries  from  users,  providing logistical support, and processing trouble reports. User Inquiries Normal inquiries from users include system status, job status, and reporting trouble. It is the job of the technician to answer these questions promptly and accurately. A user might ask: l Why is the system slow? 1-7