[1] SSP originally contained 60 or so commands that were implemented on the System/34 from 1977 to 1983 in different versions called releases.

None of these limitations exist in S36EE (there are a few maximum numbers of files in a program, but much larger than in native SSP).

SSP contains modules such as DFU, SEU, SDA, and WSU that permit operators to build libraries and files, enter information into those files, produce simple reports, and maintain a menu structure that simplifies access to the information.

Password and resource security are also implemented through SSP, as are remote communications, which today is similar to dial-up networking.

$MAINT is the library utility, used in ALOCLIBR, BLDLIBR, FROMLIBR, LIBRLIBR, REMOVE, CONDENSE, LISTLIBR, and TOLIBR.

There are many other utilities, including $FBLD, $LABEL, $DUPRD, $INIT, $DELET, $HIST, $CNFIG, #GSORT, $PACK, and $PROF, which are more flexible at the program level than associated SSP procedures can be.

To apply CNFIGSSP, the system must be dedicated (no other users logged on or programs running).

Special forms are used to assist the operator in keying RPG programs or other types of form-based languages (WSU, Sort, SDA, etc.)

When using an Add rout, the program read in these 3-byte addresses and then fetched associated records from the master file.

It is an IBM-supplied no-charge item which is used to view and change field values in individual records.

OCL is used to load programs into the system's memory and start them (a process called execution) and assign resources such as disk files, printers, message members, memory, and disk space to those programs.

Other abilities, such as displaying text on the screen, pause messages, and so forth, make OCL more powerful.

Since the user had to display a form on the screen in order to type, RPG II provided a way for a program to write output before accepting input.

There was even a way to code for multiple WORKSTNs; several people could sign on to the same copy of the same program in memory.

NRT programs could also be NEPs if written to loop and wait for some condition indicating there was work to be done.

NEP programs normally did not end until system shutdown, unless written to recognize some special terminate condition.

Basic programs could be saved as sources for compatibility with other computers, but the project's text was preserved in the subroutine (unless the programmer used the LOCK parameter to keep it private.)

A menu is simply a very specific screen format with a companion message member suffixed with two-pound signs ("##") to contain the action to be taken when the associated number was chosen.

The SECEDIT RESOURCE procedure was used to establish security ratings for file, library, folder, and group objects.

Access levels of O (Owner), C (Change), U (Update), R (Read), E (Execute) or N (None) could be granted for a user to a particular resource.

A user so confined could only run menu options, send messages, and sign off the system.

Access levels of O (Owner), G (Change), R (Read), E (Execute) or N (None) could be granted for a user to a particular resource.

SSP contained more than 80 different commands that allowed operators to create, delete, copy, edit/change, and secure files and libraries.

At times, when compiling a program, an extent would be created and by doing a "CONDENSE", it was removed if there was enough room in the main allocation for it.

This enabled System/36 programs to create, manage, and access record-oriented files on remote System/36, System/38, and IBM mainframe systems running CICS.

The IBM System/38 (1978) ran an operating system named the Control Program Facility (CPF) that was much more advanced than SSP and not particularly similar.