docs: def update_status(self):
          """ returns True if status has changed """
          # this function should be part of the server
  
          if (self.status is not None) and self.status > 0:
              # status is already final
              return False
  
          old_status = self.status
         
          job_dir = self.run_dir + os.sep + self.id
  
          if os.path.isfile(run_dir + os.sep + 'FAILURE'):
              self.status = self.FAILED
          elif os.path.isfile(run_dir + os.sep + 'FINISHED'):
              self.status = self.FINISHED
          else:
              self.status = self.RUNNING
  
          if self.status != old_status:
              return True
          else:
              return False