Re: Switching to RDI from SEU

Aaron,

I have not tried the RPGNextGen but I won't end up going to RDi do to
the pricing. I will keep using my WDsc for that reason. As a private
consultant I can't afford to keep shelling out for tools when WDsc works
fine for me.

Sharon

-----Original Message-----
From: wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wdsci-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Aaron Bartell
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2009 9:59 AM
To: Websphere Development Studio Client for iSeries
Subject: Re: [WDSCI-L] Switching to RDI from SEU

Could you shed any light on the $$ numbers we are talking for small
server config? And by "toolset" do you mean the compilers + RDi +
RDi-SOA?

I can't keep up with how IBM prices things. Another reason why
RPGNextGen.com is becoming more and more appealing. I can only imagine
how frustrating it must be for the IBM RDi developers having a great
tool and then having their marketing screw it up - just sad.

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

Trevor Perry wrote:

Aaron,

There is still one (small) thing that will ensure that the tools sell.

They

are still bundled with the hardware for sale. For new boxes and

upgrades,

the price of the tools is part of the entire sale.

That being said, I had a server configured recently and the person

doing it

missed the numbers - I got back a small server and the software was 8

times

the cost of the hardware - yes, 8 times. That was mostly the toolset.

Normally, though, the toolset is about 90% of the cost of the server
hardware for a small server config (which is higher than ever). I have
recently done several, and can not explain the pricing in the

configurator.

I even asked a prominent (Rational) IBMer to help explain, and that

lead to

a dead-end. If I were to decide if Rational were in business to make

money

OR to support their customers for modern toolsets, I would have to

choose

the former. Which, ironically, the latter will cause the former not to

be

met.. The recent price 'cuts' that are included in 'bundles', while

they

have helped a little, really have not come close to the suggestions of

the

community.

Then again, if you order a new Power6 520 server, you ~must~ order the

ECS

modem. Maybe that is how you download upgrades to the toolset? If you

price

software high, the customer should expect them to take a long time to
download? :-)

Trevor



On 1/9/09 9:34 AM, "Aaron Bartell" <aaronbartell@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I think adoption will slow considerably given the fact that there is

no

low cost entry into the "new WDSC" (i.e. RDi). I still firmly

believe

IBM is shooting themselves in the foot by approaching it the way they
did without even giving a single-seat-no-charge copy of RDi with

every

compiler purchase. Get it into every shop so it becomes the

house-hold

name for doing RPG development, and then when the shop needs more

than

one license they get to get out their checkbook (but at this point

they

full recognize the ROI).

A 90-day trial will work well enough for existing WDSC users to
determine if they want to pay for RDi, but I hardly believe it is

enough

time for an average SEU RPG programmer to make the switch from

scratch.

It becomes an up-hill battle to educate people on such an excellent

tool

(which I believe it to be the best out there) when the only real way
they can experience it is to get out their empty checkbook. In the

past

I have done quite a few articles, sessions, newsletters, etc,

promoting

WDSC because it was simply a matter of getting through the politics

and

installing it on machines. How do authors/writers promote it now

that

it costs so much? I really wish IBM would have taken the

MyEclipseIDE

approach of charging maybe $50/year/user and then have all support

done

through an online forum and let the community resolve most of the

issues

instead of having to open up a PMR. Heck, the IBM'ers on this list

are

already doing that to some extent (which I think is absolutely

wonderful

btw).

Those are my thoughts for a Friday :-)

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

Trevor Perry wrote:

David,

Sorry - I finally realized you said 95% of THE shop.

I am finding more and more shops are getting over their problems

with the

older versions of WDSC, and are adopting it fresh. If you treat it

like it

IS new, you may be able to convert everyone over!

Good luck,
Trevor


On 1/9/09 8:57 AM, "Trevor Perry" <trevor@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: