Python, etc. (was RE: How to move forward)

midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

>   1. RE: How to move forward (Hans)
>
>Tom: Just to be clear, when I recommend Python, I am definitely not speaking 
>on behalf of my employer. Other people I work with know about Python, if 
>only because I like talking about it. But other than possibly recognizing 
>the ".py" file extension, you won't find much support for Python in our 
>tools.
>
>I certainly do wish I could say that you could get support for mission 
>critical apps written in Python. But unfortunately I can't.


Hans, since you offered clarification, I'd like to ask a few questions (and I 
understand this is personal opinion, so an IBM official position isn't 
expected). I understand that Python is not an IBM offering and that there is no 
support in the sense one would expect with RPG, COBOL, TCP/IP servers, etc., 
with or without a software support contract.

1. Is it that IBM would refuse support _specifically_ on the basis of "Python" 
or is it simply because it's a 3rd-party application?

2. Are you saying that support is not possible, i.e., even a Consult Line 
contract is likely to be refused, or were you speaking about a more common 
Support Line type of support? Of course a Consult Line contract is probably 
ridiculous, but IBM has tended to being a services company. And who knows? 
Somebody might feel okay with it.

3. If I'm debugging a Python module that, for example, calls a validation list 
API that returns results contrary to documentation for the API, is IBM likely 
to refuse support? Since source is available, I might program any function I 
choose to make available via Python. This ought to fall clearly within normal 
support. I opened a PMR against a validation list API recently and wasn't asked 
what it was for. Support seemed normal.

Obviously if IBM would refuse support of any kind simply because I used the 
"Python" word, something unusual is going on.

An example problem that's becoming more common is creating and/or parsing XML, 
but the generally available tools are freeware or forms of open source. These 
might easily become important components of critical apps and technically not 
have "IBM support". All 3rd-party products in general don't have IBM support.

The whole discussion is raised in order to get comments on ways to determine 
how to draw the line for decisions. The Real World demonstrates that "IBM 
support" isn't always a necessary condition, though it's often sufficient.

Tom Liotta

(p.s. Another late posting due to widespread SMTP problems lately.)

-- 
Tom Liotta
The PowerTech Group, Inc.
19426 68th Avenue South
Kent, WA 98032
Phone  253-872-7788 x313
Fax    253-872-7904
http://www.powertechgroup.com


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