Re: news400 goes negative on IBM?

[Keith Carpenter <carpcon@xxxxxxx>]

Just throw in a little "needs to be more like .NET" and you're hooked.

I doubt chasing Microsoft and .NET would be a good strategy for IBM. 
Seems to me that if you want .NET you might as well run windows.  Open 
source projects like Mono may provide some .NET portability, but they 
are incomplete and may lead into legal issues with Microsoft.

Unfortunately it will take more than a better free form RPG to 
rejuvenate iSeries sales.  You have to convince software developers why 
they should develop for a proprietary OS using a language that only runs 
on that system.  A tough sell.  It's easier for Microsoft since windows 
is considered a standard (rightly or wrongly).

Not sure if any one remembers, but in the early days of the AS/400, the 
A was for Application.  The box sold because of there was a large choice 
of applications for the 400.  Today most of these packages are gone or 
no longer under active development.

It's kind of sad to see 400 shops switching to Oracle when it's neither 
technically or economically superior.


Keith




Steve Richter wrote:
> I cant afford the iSeriesNetwork.com fee based site so I dont get to
> read the news400 magazine anymore.  But I do receive their daily
> email.  I noticed yesterday two articles very critical of IBM.   One
> an article by Paul Conte:
>
> "IBM needs to deliver free-format D-specs (and P-specs) for ILE RPG,
> and SOON! If we're worried about i5 image and productivity, a top
> priority should be the application "lingua franca" of the system. Can
> you imagine Windows Server and .NET offering a language that still
> requires fixed-format, positional entries? ..."
>
> The other was a link to an opinion piece basically calling for the CEO
> of IBM to be fired ( my sentiments exactly )
> http://www.technewsworld.com/story/42894.html
>
> If iSeriesNetwork.com keeps this up I might actually become a subscriber again!
>
> -Steve