Fast400 Value to iSeries community is less than zero

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