Re: decommissioning

[Mark D <mdlkml@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It sounds like you're still thinking of my other post but I don't mean 
it like that.   I don't know what practice causes this but systems are 
almost never sold with complete software and new software cost dwarfs 
the used hardware cost as far as I can tell.

Based on what I found out which is admittedly just guessing:
V5R4 $8500
5722WDS $2500-$5000

But you can buy a bare 520 for maybe $1500 or less even. Sometimes 
sellers throw in the OS sometimes they don't.  There doesn't seem to be 
any rhyme or reason to it.  You would think a system bundled with 
software would cost $11,000 if that's what it's worth.  Can the license 
be sold independently?  So knowing these things if I were to be in IT 
procurement I would think you might as well just buy the new hardware 
since it's going to perform better and only be marginally more expensive 
due to the high software cost.  Therefore the used market is well.. 
worthless.  That is unless I'm wrong and new hardware can't be had for 
less than $30,000 or so.  I can't imagine that to be the case but again 
on the outside I have to guess.



.... But since you want to go into my other post, I don't really 
understand IBM's motivation.  In theory they are helping persuade people 
to buy new hardware and get old hardware out of circulation.  In 
practice they are pushing people away from the platform.  If someone 
doesn't want to upgrade the old AS/400 in the back room, they aren't 
going to.  If someone can't buy used hardware they have to move 
platforms to try to conserve costs.  It sounds expensive until you 
realize the talent pool is much bigger, younger, and cheaper on other 
platforms.  Would you put your entire business into something a 
relatively small number of people 5 years from retirement know and 
barely anybody under 30 has exposure to?   Maybe executives can't think 
10 years ahead anymore?

You can sing the praises of the system all you want but I think from a 
more practical perspective IBM is collectively a bunch of idiots.  They 
destroyed OS/2, who is to say they can't do it again.

Thanks,
Mark



On 9/11/2012 3:19 PM, DrFranken wrote:
> Do you keep the key to your house under the mat and the one to your car
> above the visor?  Seriously IBM keeps a grip on keys and software
> because they invest a phenomenal amount of money writing and maintaining
> it and giving it away doesn't do anything for their bottom line. Would I
> like to see better deals, lower prices, or developer license pricing?
> Sure I would but poking IBM for keeping control of what is theirs
> doesn't get us there.  Oh and if you think IBM is tough try getting keys
> for most of the ERP and other LOB software! IBM is positively
> overflowing with grace compared to most of these companies!