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It will be really interesting to follow IBM's response to Tiger Tools.  It
appears that Tiger Tools has covered their legal bases by coming up with a
solution that doesn't modify any IBM owned objects.

The ethical question is also interesting.  Although you buy a certain
performance level from IBM, is it unethical to buy a performance enhancer
from another company?  What's wrong with that?

IBM could probably release a PTF that changes how CFINT works, to make it
effective against Fast400.  If IBM does that, is Tiger Tools going to cry
that IBM "disabled" its software?  It kind of turns the table on the ethical
question!

Yet I think I understand IBM's reasoning for making a pricing distinction
between "interactive" and "batch" features.  The cost of interactive hasn't
gone up.  The cost of client-server GUI has gone down - drastically.  In
order to compete in that market, Rochester was forced to unbridle its
processors.

IBM's 5250 interface is super efficient resource wise, and super productive
otherwise.  Web and other client server interfaces require (in my
estimation) 5-30 times more CPU.  In that sense the term "Interactive Tax"
is something of a promotional gimmick.  IBM customers recognize the value of
5250.

Would anybody be willing to predict IBM's response?  Change CFINT?  Legal
Action against Tiger Tools?  Price interactive and batch the same?

Nathan M. Andelin
www.relational-data.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Pluta" <joepluta@PlutaBrothers.com>
To: <midrange-l@midrange.com>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 3:09 PM
Subject: RE: "TigerTools Says It Can Remove OS/400 Governors"


> Two schools of thought on this one:
>
> 1. I bought the machine, and I should be able to get the maximum use out
of
> it that I can, therefore a "CFINT buster" is perfectly legal and ethical.
>
> 2. I purchased a machine with an agreed amount of interactive CPW, so I am
> bound to that agreement, much like a seat license that is enforced by the
> licensing APIs.  A CFINT buster is equivalent to a program that hacks the
> license APIs.  Questionably legal, but definitely unethical.
>
> It's your choice as to what camp you fall into.  In either case, you can
be
> assured that IBM is looking carefully at the issue.  FAST400 works by
> flipping off a bit in the job object, and you can guess that it wouldn't
be
> too hard for IBM to release a patch that moves that bit, and/or makes it
> very difficult to change.
>
> DISCLAIMER: Take my comments with a grain of salt, since one of the
benefits
> of my PSC400 product is that it, too, removes the interactive tax, but
mine
> does it by actually replacing your 5250 I/O with a browser interface.
Since
> PSC400 actually changes your programs to a true client/server
architectuer,
> a PTF isn't likely to "break" it.  My solution is competitively priced
with
> FAST400, and it also gives you a browser interface that emulates a green
> screen as well as the ability to design very "webby" front ends for your
> existing systems.
>
> Joe Pluta
> www.plutabrothers.com




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