Re: Acquiring a used IBM i Server - (repost)

On 2/2/2018 2:52 PM, Scott Williams wrote:

I'd like to find a modest and affordable (not several thousands of dollars)
machine I can call my own for a decent length of time (Is 5 years asking
too much?) Any tips to assist in my search?

Professional equipment dealers simply can't afford to give a hobbyist a
20k discount on a 21k machine; especially when they can /easily/ get the
21k they're looking for by selling to a business - a business which will
generate repeat revenue for them.

No, the economics are not in the hobbyist's favour here. I keep my eye
on the local business closings / bankruptcy notices. They sometimes
sell off their assets for pennies on the dollar, and a few of them have
enough staff left to do what it takes to legally transfer the license
keys. The businesses which close tend to not use current generation
computers, so patience is truly a virtue here.

If I were you, I would develop /now/ on a timeshare machine/ Enhance
your skills - join one of the open source projects! Don't let your
skill set fade away while you wait for the perfect machine to come around.