On Tue, 07 Jun 2005 08:06, Rich Smrcina wrote: > Interesting response. I would certainly have no problem buying IBM > hardware for it. Then the remaining issues are: > > Who tracks it? Do you really think IBM would relinquish control of > that? The argument would really need to be convincing.
Why not talk IBM into making ultra-cheap (within limits of course) s/390-z900 PCI cards for PCs and use this to kill as many birds with one stone as possible? Ie, you buy the IBM PC, you buy the card, you pay for the hobbyist license, you take a short course (run by IBM of course) on running and managing a zOS or zVM box (or both, if you've decided to afford it), you get the appropriate books, then the IBM representative says with a big smile, "Welcome to the world of Big Iron. If you wish to take your studies any further, here are the contacts for the ITOs ..." They get the knowledge of the zSeries becoming more of a commodity, with the expected trade-offs. (Which they already know about, since they've adopted an OS with an even larger set of trade-offs, namely Linux - which is doing an excellent job of selling mainframes.) And IBM can check at most stages of the proceedings that you're genuine ... > > Although the ability to call the support center would be waived, it > would still be good to be able to download fixes. Between code cutoff > and release, a number of fixes could be produced that are critical to > the proper operation of the system. Even a hobbyist would appreciate an > operating system that works correctly. Wouldn't that be part and parcel of the standard agreement between IBM and the hobbyist? If you have a current license, you have free access to all the appropriate fixes. > > Pricing... Even ESL pricing (for VSE) is far beyond the reach of a > hobbyist. Engine based pricing for VM is even farther. The pricing > model would need to be influenced, taking in to account no support > expressed or implied, etc, etc. > But isn't that part and parcel of what being a hobbyist is all about? Get the docs, get the relevant software and hardware, and scratch one's head and pester one's peers, not the effing bureaucrats ... ;) Besides, one's peers endure the pestering, it seems, since it makes them feel important! ;) <snip> Wesley Parish -- Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish ----- Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui? You ask, what is the most important thing? Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata. I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390
