Microsoft goes after the iSeries

Up until now, I had been a fan of ASNA and their products.  That all
changed when I read the following:

http://www.theserverside.net/news/thread.tss?thread_id=30588

The "Midrange Alliance Program" is Microsoft taking DIRECT aim at the
iSeries, encouraging people to move off the platform to some
cobbled-together wannabe.

They first tried the mainframe market, using a combination of Fujitsu
hardware and Fujitsu NetCOBOL.  I'm not sure how well that's going (my
guess is NOT), so now they've somehow convinced ASNA to jump to the dark
side.

They're also partnering with the fine folks at California Software.  Now
even Microsoft gets it... the vast panoply of RPG applications is simply
too large to replace, so instead they want to move it lock, stock and
barrel to Windows.

Since it can't beat the iSeries, MS will attempt to absorb it.  In that
vein, .NET becomes the great amorphous blob under which all things can
run.  The IT department is reduced to a common mediocrity in hardware
AND software.

"One .NET to bring them all and in the darkness bind them."

Joe