SupportLine bundle (was Scoop on v5r3 CL enhancements)

What the heck is the deal with that? I just found out about this the other
day when our SupportLine contract expired. IBM told me that Software
Subscription was now bundled with SupportLine.

Maybe I just don't understand the "features" of the various offerings.

"SupportLine" is the one that gives me the ability to call in with
operational questions like "I'm trying to set up a remote XYZ via ABC.
What's the best way to go about it?" Right?

"Software Subscription" is how I get the new release of my IBM products (ex.
V5R3 versions when it comes out). Right?

Now where does the software support come in, which Joe mentioned. Doesn't
this in some cases turn out to be user error and in some cases is really
defect support, i.e. "I've set up a remote XYZ via ABC and I keep getting
CPFnnnn when I try to use it?" That could go either way. Sometimes I've set
something up wrong. But in some cases, it is something wrong with the IBM
code. Isn't that defect support and shouldn't that be free? Why should I be
paying when they had a bug?

And what about downloading PTFs. I been unable to download PTFs before
because some contract had expired. Seems like that was LIC PTFs were tied to
the hardware maintenance contract.

Furthermore, I know there are some other ISVs on the list, doesn't this
pretty much negate the idea of "free software" via PartnerWorld, because now
if I want to have operational support for that software (i.e. SupportLine) I
am also paying for my Software Subscription.

Sorry to be asking this on the list. I do plan to pursue these same
questions with my IBM reps, but sometimes the list is faster and more
realistic.

Seems like every year I feel like an idiot when I go to management with a
new contract because I thought I understood how things worked and what we
needed, but IBM has "repackaged" everything once again and I have no idea
how it works once again.

You need a full time staff just for keeping up with all the IBM contracts to
run your iSeries. You may not need any systems programmers to run it but you
sure do need a staff of pencil pushers.

Thanks,
-Marty

------------------------------

date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:18:31 -0600
from: "Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
subject: RE: Scoop on v5r3 CL enhancements

Absolutely.  Unbundle the supportline from my software maintenance, and
use some of that money.  I'll pay for support on a per-incident basis.

Joe