RE: What should I say to a *nix community?

<<My point is that being able to run old stuff unmodified can be very bad
for progress.>>

Whose progress? If a tax calculation program has been calculation taxes
properly for 20 years, why change it? To make a programmer happy? Where is
the ROI on that?

Are the inmates running the asylum?

Paul Nelson
Office 512-392-2577
Cell 708-670-6978
nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lukas Beeler
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 11:41 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: What should I say to a *nix community?

On Mon, Aug 25, 2008 at 6:22 PM, Trevor Perry <trevor@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Without the ability to run code from way back, there would be no IBM i.
Everyone would be converted - some to i, many to other platforms - or they
would be running an OLD server with an OLD OS to keep their applications
going.

My allegiance is not to the IBM i, like yours. My allegiance is to
doing things right. Of course, everyone will have his own definition
of right ;)

My point is that being able to run old stuff unmodified can be very
bad for progress.

And, in the same vein that we can go backwards, we are already prepared

for

future processors - including 128-bit, etc.. This part is not a
disadvantage.

You're right, but it can and will be abused. And that's what i was going
for.

Certainly, companies should be encouraged to move forward. Just because

they

have not, however, does not make it a disadvantage. For the people who

have

not yet modernized their code, being able to run their old stuff is a
selling point - it can bring them to new hardware while they transition
their old software..

Just look how many companies are struggling with V6R1 compatibility.
Just like the Vista troubles are not Microsoft's fault, the V6R1
troubles are not IBM's fault. They're indicative of poor application
vendors, application programmers waiting for their retirement without
staying on top of the game, etc.

I don't think IBM should remove their most excellent downward
compatibility. It's a great achievement, and it shows that they
thought things through from the beginning. But as of today, it's
misuse has become apparent and has probably led to todays stagnation
of the platform ecosystem.