open source. was Closed system (was: PC connection via twinax ?)

-----Original Message-----
From: Leif Svalgaard <leif@leif.org>
To: midrange-l@midrange.com <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Date: Sunday, August 19, 2001 10:53 PM
Subject: Re: Closed system (was: PC connection via twinax ?)


>I can imagine a world (not to come to pass though) where
>IBM or a BP or a customer would propose a change, maybe
>even produce some code. The change and the code would
>be reviewed by the community, the bugs would be flushed
>out, improvements would be suggested, etc, and the platform
>would move forward as IBM takes advantage of the talent
>and requirements of the community.


Open source on the iseries also has to be open hardware specs.

As much as what is good in the iseries is the result of it being a closed
system, we have to face facts. To compete in the years to come, roch needs a
lot of help to bring innovative enhancements to the system.

A painless way to start toward open source that does not hurt ibm's cfint
cash cow: Open source the pre rls 4 hardware and software.

Ibm does not lose any sales, esp over the next year or two.

System integrity is not compromised since v5 is much diff than v3.

3rd party hardware vendors would have a new market re upgrading the v3
hardware.

The revitalized hardware provides a new market for iseries software vendors.
( and pgmrs )

Could provide some real juice to the platform.

Steve Richter