In the 1970s, IBM software engineers were touting the newest I/O (Input/Output) management software, which they called "VIO" for "Virtual I/O".  It was supposed to free programmers from any concern about where their data files were actually stored, or how to read the data, by making all those decisions automatically. Well, it had problems, and one day, in frustration, I wrote this poem,  a high-tech version of our famous childhood poem. 

 

 

Old MacDonald Had a File

Old MacDonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

And in this file he had some data

V-I   V-I-O

With a bit-bit here, and a bit-bit there

Here a bit, there a bit, everywhere a bit-bit

Old Macdonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

 

One day MacDonald needed data

V-I   V-I-O

He told the system "read, read, read"

V-I   V-I-O

He got a page-fault here, and a page-fault  there

Here a bit, there a fault, everywhere a bit-fault

Old MacDonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

 

Old MacDonald grew impatient

V-I   V-I-O

He asked the system "where's my data?"

V-I   V-I-O

He got a wait-wait here, and a wait-wait there

Here a bit, there a fault, everywhere a wait-wait

Old MacDonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

 

Old MacDonald sighed and sighed

V-I   V-I-O

Through endless days and long, long nights

V-I   V-I-O

He got a head crash here, and a head crash there

Here a bit, there a fault, everywhere a wait-crash

Old MacDonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

 

Well Old MacDonald passed away

V-I   V-I-O

And on his grave they put these words:

         He Died ---  V-I-O

With a bit-fault here, and a wait-crash there

Bit-bit, fault-fault, wait-wait, crash-crash

Old MacDonald had a file

V-I   V-I-O

 

 

 

 

Copyright 1976, 2004, Ron Alan Pierce

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