Re: Re: slanted article "Inside System Storage -- by Tony Pearson"

I'm not overly optimistic, I'm just not willing to give up. 

IBM refused to license 64bit technology to Funsoft. That effectively put Funsoft out of business, but then, while Flex-ES was a *great* product, I'm not sure they were ever viable in the same way as Hercules is - because they were closed source and that closed source was based upon inside information from IBM. 

PSI - we were all set to buy PSI products but we didn't move quickly enough, curse the day. PSI was a wholly different animal. The close alliance with HP is, in my opinion, what forced IBM to go after them. If they had written their beautiful stuff on top of an IBM PowerPC, running on AIX boxes, it might well have been a very different story! 

Both were also competing with IBM.

Now where exactly does Hercules have any of those issues? Indeed, IBM has largely ignored it, which indeed, may be one measure of determining that it does NOT have those faults.

Nor does Hercules compete with IBM.

You want one measure that would help?

Make Hercules unable to run z/OS or z/VM except when it is running on IBM hardware.  

Make that rock solid impossible to bypass condition somehow - or have Roger or Jay express the desire to do so to IBM and gain their assistance in doing it - and IBM would almost certainly talk about licenses for major OS's under those provisions.  At least for the sub 1000 MIP world. 

Again, that's my guess. And yes, it is probably somewhat unpalatable to our guys - I would expect IBM to have a little bit of apprehension about it as well. That means it might work - the best compromises are the ones both parties do not like very much. :) 

Okay, I stuck my neck out. 

-Paul
 



On Sep 24, 2010, at 6:00 PM, ron.hilton wrote:

> Paul,
> 
> IBM crushed Funsoft.
> 
> IBM crushed PSI.
> 
> I'm just curious why you think IBM might willingly "accept and support"
> Hercules at some point.
> 
> What exactly are you hoping that they will do? Enter into a patent
> cross-license agreement? Disclose trade-secret documentation under NDA so
> z/Architecture can be fully and correctly emulated? License z/OS and other
> program products to run on it? PSI was willing to pay for all these things
> on reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, but IBM said no, not on any
> terms. The courts will eventually decide whether they had a right to do
> that. But I ask you again, what are you hoping that IBM will do for
> Hercules? Provide all of the above for free, because Hercules is open source
> and they are champions of open source?
> 
> I'm not trying to be argumentative. I'm just honestly bewildered by your
> optimism.
> 
> Ron Hilton
> 
> _____ 
> 
> From: [email protected]
> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Paul Raulerson
> Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 11:26 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [hercules-advocacy] Re: slanted article "Inside System Storage --
> by Tony Pearson"
> 
> Well, like I said, we just have to agree to disagree. I have a much more
> libertarian take on the issue than you do. I do not think profits or making
> money, or even becoming a billionaire is an "evil" thing. And I not ashamed
> to say I am quite happy holding on to my very modest IBM shareholdings.
> <shrug>
> 
> Nor do I think IBM is an "evil" company, though the closest to that I know
> of is when an acquaintance of mine, Edwin Black, uncovered some pretty
> interesting evidence that IBM sold equipment to Genrmany before WWII that
> was used in some pretty unpleasant ways.
> 
> I do think rants about IBM like this will not lead to getting Hercules
> accepted and supported by IBM, and I am far more concerned with that than
> with righting wrongs, real or imaginary, done by IBM.
> 
> -Paul
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> 
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> 
> 



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