Re: OSS for the iSeries -- MIDRANGE-L

jt,

Here's a little history lesson on WyattERP.

WyattERP is the culling of software that I originally wrote, on my own time, and
licensed to several companies.  I have been doing this for several years.

I stopped counting after 70 installations.

I have recouped the cost of development, paid my staff and turned a profit.

Is WyattERP something special? Heck no!  It's paid for itself and then some and
I'm done with it.

Is it some brilliant piece of ground breaking software? Heck no.  It's a seed.

Are there better ways of doing things? No doubt! Got one?  Show me and everyone
the code.  We'll compare under the light of peer review.

It started after I custom wrote a Payroll application in about 1982 for a
hospital here in Puyallup Washington for the S/38.  I had never seen a S/38 and
neither had the folks at the local IBM office.  A member of this list joined the
hospitals staff after the fact and gave me the good news and bad news.  The
design looked pretty flexible but the coding needed some work.  I think he was
being kind. :)

Since then I wrote and installed payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable,
inventory control, billing (two flavors), general ledger, job costing, bill of
materials, sales analysis and other stuff for about 45 companies.  Each
installation added to the base code.  These installations were primarily for the
S/36. (IMHO IBM's biggest success in the midrange market .. not the best system,
just the biggest success).  And later were upgraded to the AS/400.  In 1990 I
turned my efforts to taking all that I had and throwing out the code, but
keeping the concept.  The same thing I did when may past was the S/34 and the
future was the S/38.  Keep the baby (concept), toss the water (code).

WyattERP is the result of that rewrite.  It is in use at a nationally known
mattress manufacturing company, a mail order company, a highway paving company,
a timber broker, and a refuse removal utility.

And not only am I a member, but I'm a client too! :)

BTW, I HAVE the intellectual property rights and the OSS community respects that
and it is a fundamental concept of the OSS model.  Now I'm -not- willing to
argue this till doomsday, but IMHO you just don't get it.

PS please, for the subscribers that receive the digest version, snip out the
parts not relevant.  It's a courtesy thing.  It's a good thing. :)


jt wrote:
>
> James,
>
> As a matter of fact, your project suffers from lack of venture capital.
> This, IMV, is the failure of OSS development.
>
> I've studied it sufficiently to know that there are advantages and
> disadvantages to OSS.
>
> ===> But it's fundamental premise is a disrespect for ownership of
> intellectual property.  You can argue against this view, 'till doomsday, but
> the fact remains.  The advantages to the methodology are PERCEIVED to hinge
> on giving code away.  But the advantages DO NOT DIRECTLY DEPEND on giving
> code away for free.