Re: open source the IBM i kernel. Was: Why i??? NEED YOUR INPUT

On 2/26/2010 10:34 AM, Steve Richter wrote:

I don't know what is kernel and what is vertical microcode. Release
the RPG compiler, all the workstation stuff, ILE, work management,
program call stack. Would be fun as a hobbyist to be able to get at
the SLS and expand the 16meg segment size of the system. No point in
releasing DB2, but do release the parts of the OS that couple a
database to the system. The system is fading away. We have all seen
AS400 shops shut down and their valuable home grown software
applications deleted from existance. That should not be the fate of
IBM i.

Let's perform a thought experiment. I have an ERP package that runs my
business. It runs on IBM i. IBM _does_ open source i5/OS, the RPG
compiler, etc. My 19 year old niece _does_ hack some new code into them
and releases the changes into the wild.

Tell me how to convince my boss to let me install the open i and open
RPG compiler.

We can leave for another thread whether the open source efforts are
forks of the IBM effort, or whether IBM should simply fire all the IBM i
developers and leave the platform to fend for itself.
--buck