Warner,
I have a very direct stake in the issue. We (my company) has been a PWD
member for many years (1995). We previously used a P390 and upgraded to
an IBM Server x235 with the FLEX-ES software. IBM KNOWS this, since the
transaction had to be approved by them, and they provide the hardware
service as well as the z/OS software service. To date, I have never
received a single communication from anyone in PartenerWorld or
elsewhere in IBM regarding this issue. They did not forget to bill me
for the ADCD software. If the FLEX-ES vendors did not make the
information known in this and the FLEX-ES list, my zOS system (and quite
possibly my business) would vanish early this summer. Fortunately the
vendors (not IBM) has given the FLEX-ES PWD user community a heads-up
that they may have to make other arrangements. There is nothing on the
market that even remotely offers the level of service and reliability of
my system for the price. But not a single word from IBM and certainly
not why. And why speculate as to IBM's motivations?
Maybe some of the commercial FLEX users can buy "real" hardware, but the
smaller ISV's will have a problem affording even the smallest z9 BC,
finding the floor space for the machine where it has adequate support
(at least 1500 lbs in a 9sq ft area, won't fit into, and will exceed the
load limit, of the elevator up to our office suite), adequate A/C and
power, and the machine does not come with DASD, so that cost, space and
operating expense is also an issue. So, if I were to speculate on an
IBM motive, it is to put the small ISV's out of the z/OS development
business. But why would they want to do that, and cut off a very
important source of the innovation that makes the z/OS environment so
robust?
Gary DiPillo
--
Axios Products, Inc. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 631-864-3666 x133
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