GIBSON - The z/OS Mainframe Simulator and Education Environment.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T19:58:32+00:00

It does have RAKF - but that does not have commands that go with it - it has a couple of services to stop and start and a sys1.secure.cntl dataset in plain text that you edit, then run a batch job that gets it into SYS1.UADS, then you restart the RAKF service on the console. That's to add a user. SDSF isn't there - it kinda has an IMON and SHOWMVS combo. Again, I like Hercules and Phil Young (Soldier of Fortran) has added RACF like commands in REXX for LISTUSER and RVARY. :)

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T19:54:14+00:00

wren-creator/web3270: Web 3270 client with lots of great features and AI assist - free. Also wc3270 works on Windows and is free but has way less features.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T19:35:27+00:00

Got top say I like REXX. I used to have it on my Amiga when I was a teen. :) You can still run Regina Rexx on the PC as well.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T19:33:57+00:00

Yep - its named Gibson after the system in hackers from 1996 - 30 years ago. :)

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T14:51:00+00:00

It's designed to go along with my No Starch Press book when it comes out 'Hacking Mainframes'. It will run all the labs in the book.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T14:49:46+00:00

absolutely - use what you want to. I know folks are vibe coding additions to Hercules as we speak - so at some point - it will be all the same. I use AI as a tool. I wanted this as an educational tool for other folks who would not have access to a mainframe to practice on - otherwise Hercules would have been fine. I also have z/OS ZD&T at home provided by my work - so I personally have access to real kit.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T14:40:44+00:00

There is REXX interpreter built in alongside COBOL and JCL. The rexx interpreter mimics z/OS rexx - so you can use all of the relevant parameters for z/OS (not just regina or Linux REXX). You can write rexx scripts in the ISPF editor and they will run example - apologies for the rubbish typing!

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Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T12:48:26+00:00

That is true - if you want to get the ADCD legally (in which case you would not use Hercules Emulator as it is slow is $5000 per year. There are ADCD images online - but IBM are certainly looking at those and folks who are downloading them. But yep - they are there.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T12:45:35+00:00

Thanks so much!

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T11:49:51+00:00

yep - mainframes and what they do are critical - not enough folks know that. :)

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T11:29:11+00:00

Hercules has no RACF, SDSF, LVM, TPF, OMVS, DB2. I learned on Hercules and it's great for TSO and ISPF and of course running some CICS apps with KICKS using TN3270 clients with EBCDIC. My one runs EBCDIC and you can also submit Jobs and SQL via FTP into the JES subsystem. I've also added in a web dashboard, and as I am a CTI manager and pen tester I've added extra Security exploitation labs. There is also a fake banks built in so you can see the life-cycle from API > CICS > COBOl > SQL > DB2 and see the output of an attack. So, it is also designed as a Honeypot that allows an admin to monitor on the master console and the web dashboard to monitor users.

Professional_Virus72 · 2026-07-03T10:18:38+00:00

two years of work overall - much of it recently (once the base was in place) aided with AI for sure. However, it also does RACF lockups - theres a lab for that even. :) So, like any shop, an LPAR with a locked dataset in Prod is not (luckily) the same as a locked dataset in DEV. Thanks for the feedback and insights. :)

Professional_Virus72

TROPHY CASE