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On one hand, if the Fast400 product does (and I believe this to be the case) violate licensing agreements of iSeries owners, then it is only of value to those who do not mind putting their relationship with IBM at risk. This seems unlikely to be a large percentage of those people who have chosen to use the most reliable platform in the world. On the other hand, if it is perfectly legal and IBM must allow its use by customers, they have two forms of recourse: First, they can look to software methods of changing the identification of jobs so that the Fast400 patch doesn't work, allowing business to go on as before. This would probably lead to TigerTools trying to break that method as well, and the game goes on. Second, they could evaluate how much of the iSeries revenue stream is derived from the current method of licensing interactive jobs. If this revenue stream is "undefensable" then there really isn't any point in IBM continuing to produce the iSeries. Non-interactive (or what might be considered "more conventional") processing power is available from IBM in several other forms with the R&D already paid for by those markets. Dumping the existing iSeries NI market into those areas would simplify IBM's market strategies and lower overhead. If the revenue stream is "defensable" and IBM can find a way to play with the system to keep the license revenue in place, then I'm sure IBM wouldn't just give up what is a good source of revenue. It seems to be that one end is that we can look forward to IBM finding a way of defeating the Fast400 product. The other end is for IBM to discontinue the platform. I know that there are some people that are hoping IBM will just start selling the iSeries for the same as any Wintel box, but I just don't see IBM dumping all the extra R&D into iSeries when they could just sell the Wintel box instead. In the mean time, IBM dollars are being spent to "correct" this issue. That's money that could be going to solving the existing issues with the iSeries. Maybe improving compilers or adding new tools or whatever. But you can bet IBM isn't running out to hire NEW developers to correct this problem. So the net advantage to the iSeries community, less than zero. We lose. -- Chris Rehm javadisciple@earthlink.net And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart... ...Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31
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