04
Mon, Nov
1 New Articles

IMHO: MC's Technical Editors Debate Current Issues

Commentary
Typography
  • Smaller Small Medium Big Bigger
  • Default Helvetica Segoe Georgia Times

IBM is transforming the architecture of the AS/400 into what they call an "open system." They're offering more connectivity options, improved application portability, and RISC technology. All of this is designed to give AS/400 customers more choices and outside vendors an opportunity to tap into the AS/400 market.

But why stop there? To make the AS/400 a truly open system, IBM could allow customers to choose from a number of different operating systems and databases. In fact, IBM already sells an AS/400 that runs SSP, the S/36 operating system. While that seems like a step backwards, it proves that IBM has the technology to run other operating systems on the AS/400.

So why doesn't IBM really open up the architecture and allow other vendors' operating systems and databases to run natively on the AS/400? Just think, customers could choose Windows NT or NetWare instead of OS/400. Or they could select SQL Server, Oracle, or Sybase rather than DB2/400. The competition would be healthy. It would encourage IBM and its competitors to produce better products selling at a lower cost and give customers more choices than they ever dreamed possible.

But unless IBM gets the message, the only operating systems that will ever run natively on the AS/400 will be IBM's own. Other vendors may get their foot in the door by running in an emulated mode or on a separate add-on card with its own processor, but these options will never be as fast or full-featured as native implementations. At least for the foreseeable future, customers will always be forced to buy an IBM operating system with every AS/400 purchase. That doesn't sound like an open system to me.

-Robin Klima

Businesses survive and grow not by supplying what they think customers need, but by supplying what customers think they need. IBM doesn't understand that, and IBM's senior management in Armonk seems to be doing its best to make sure the company goes out of business.

Robin's point, I think, is openness (the general concept), not any specific operating system. If I started debating the OS/400-NT-OS/2 issue, I'd be missing the point. The point of openness is to allow the customer to select how the system is used. IBM doesn't care what the customers want, because Armonk seems to want to padlock the doors at Rochester.

IBM is sitting on a wonderful desktop PowerPC system that runs Windows NT. I saw that system last October. I played with it for a while, shocked by how fast it was even with the 601 in it. I was so depressed that I had just ordered a Pentium 90 for home use, especially when I heard the price point for the PowerPC system I was using.

I asked when they would start shipping this system, thinking that if it was fairly soon, I might just cancel the order for the Pentium system. I was told six to nine months. (My jaw dropped.) I couldn't figure out why. It was clear that the version of Windows NT for the PowerPC was nearly complete. It had only taken a few people a few weeks to port NT to the PowerPC-what were they waiting for?

"It will take us six to nine months to port OS/2 to the PowerPC," was the answer I received. In that moment, I heard IBM screaming, "I don't care what customers want, I want to go out of business!" Think about that next time you ante up 100 or 200K for an AS/400.

-Jim Hoopes

Opening up the AS/400 to other operating and database systems is a good idea for the customer, especially new ones, but consider the reality of the business world.

Software accounts for a significant amount of IBM's profits, and I believe IBM is very much interested in continuing to make money from software. Therefore, it's in their best interests to promote their own software. OS/400 and DB2/400 are a big reason the AS/400 is so successful. So why should IBM introduce competing operating systems and databases? If their plan was to just manufacture the hardware for the AS/400, it would make sense but, as I stated, I think IBM is interested in software and its profit potential.

Offering competing major software components for the AS/400 would be like GM deciding to allow customers to choose between a Ford, Chrysler, or GM engine. It will probably never happen because GM is too interested in making money on their own engines.

Besides, OS/400 is a mature, multiuser operating system. Right now, OS/400's internal code is being replaced with a new object-based kernel designed to take full advantage of the new 64-bit RISC architecture. This means OS/400 will be better equipped to manage the applications of the future. Consider the fact that Windows NT is a 32-bit operating system.

While Windows NT's user interface is obviously superior to a text-based interface, it doesn't make the underlying operating system better, just easier to use.

-Richard Shaler

Think of the different facets that make up a diamond. Each is a unique view of a well-organized structure. A well-crafted diamond is flawless, beautiful, and unique.

Now, think IBM. Not quite the same mental image, I'll wager, but Lou Gerstner is taking IBM in directions that will make it a corporation of gemstone beauty and efficiency. However, there are some flaws in the path IBM is apparently following. Each of these flaws will chip away at the IBM diamond.

Why has IBM soldered the Intel 486/66 CPU into the AS/400 file server input/output processor (FSIOP)? This is a monumentally stupid idea. My cat can change CPUs in my computer, thanks to a ZIF socket. I have virtually unlimited upward CPU growth potential with my PC, but not with my FSIOP. (Chip!)

Why does the AS/400 use proprietary RAM chips that cost a fortune compared to those available elsewhere? (Chip!)

When will IBM abandon the product whose picture is in my computing dictionary under the heading "Me-Too": OS/2? Microsoft won the desktop OS battle, and IBM lost. (Chip!)

Why is IBM frittering away its lead in the Power PC market by not releasing IBM PCs with the clearly superior Power PC CPU? (Chip!)

When will IBM come cocoa on the Power PC-based AS/400 black box? If they build it, we will come. (Otherwise...chip!)

I am absolutely convinced that Gerstner and IBM at large intend to position the AS/400 as the ultimate server, a "box for all seasons." IBM builds the best hardware in the industry, employs some of the brightest minds in the world, and has filed for more U.S. patents than any other company. IBM is a diamond in the rough, but, unless IBM recognizes the client/server, power-processing, networked, open system, interchangeable technology facts of today's market, IBM's diamond will lose its luster.

And a diamond is, after all, only an advanced form of coal.

-Kris Neely

Yes, the AS/400 is evolving, although the term "Open System" reminds me of Ali Baba kneeling at the console, reciting the secret words "OPEN SYSTEM!" and hoping that all the treasures within will be his. For years, IBM has tried to control the opening of the AS/400-with the introduction of real APIs, standard hardware interfaces, and a steady migration toward the Open Systems standards. And, with the introduction of the technology of the file server input/output processor (FSIOP), other operating systems like OS/2 LAN Server are available, with Novell NetWare set as a statement of direction.

The real beef is that we feel boxed in with the AS/400. There are limited suppliers of both the hardware and the software. And if the AS/400 and its operating system remain proprietary, this sensation of claustrophobia will always persist.

For some of us, however, opening up Ali Baba's secret door to the AS/400 must create a two-way street. Allowing other operating systems to run on AS/400 hardware is great, but greater still would be the OS/400 running on other platforms. Imagine the full capabilities of this premier multitasking, fully integrated operating system portable to HP, PC, or RS6000!

This may not be as crazy as it sounds. IBM is creating a microkernel architecture-rewriting all of its OSes with common code interfaces for greater portability. As hardware moves away from the CICS-based CPUs to RISC-based processors, it will be feasible and profitable for IBM to make its various OSes run on any number of hardware platforms. Shouldn't OS/400 be there too?

Until then, however, IBM should continue to work on those magic words, "Open System!" Until they get that passageway clear, we dedicated AS/400 users and programmers will continue to wander away with Microsoft, Novell, or some band of 40 thieves.

-Thomas M. Stockwell

BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS

LATEST COMMENTS

Support MC Press Online

$

Book Reviews

Resource Center

  • SB Profound WC 5536 Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application. You can find Part 1 here. In Part 2 of our free Node.js Webinar Series, Brian May teaches you the different tooling options available for writing code, debugging, and using Git for version control. Brian will briefly discuss the different tools available, and demonstrate his preferred setup for Node development on IBM i or any platform. Attend this webinar to learn:

  • SB Profound WP 5539More than ever, there is a demand for IT to deliver innovation. Your IBM i has been an essential part of your business operations for years. However, your organization may struggle to maintain the current system and implement new projects. The thousands of customers we've worked with and surveyed state that expectations regarding the digital footprint and vision of the company are not aligned with the current IT environment.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT Generic IBM announced the E1080 servers using the latest Power10 processor in September 2021. The most powerful processor from IBM to date, Power10 is designed to handle the demands of doing business in today’s high-tech atmosphere, including running cloud applications, supporting big data, and managing AI workloads. But what does Power10 mean for your data center? In this recorded webinar, IBMers Dan Sundt and Dylan Boday join IBM Power Champion Tom Huntington for a discussion on why Power10 technology is the right strategic investment if you run IBM i, AIX, or Linux. In this action-packed hour, Tom will share trends from the IBM i and AIX user communities while Dan and Dylan dive into the tech specs for key hardware, including:

  • Magic MarkTRY the one package that solves all your document design and printing challenges on all your platforms. Produce bar code labels, electronic forms, ad hoc reports, and RFID tags – without programming! MarkMagic is the only document design and print solution that combines report writing, WYSIWYG label and forms design, and conditional printing in one integrated product. Make sure your data survives when catastrophe hits. Request your trial now!  Request Now.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericForms of ransomware has been around for over 30 years, and with more and more organizations suffering attacks each year, it continues to endure. What has made ransomware such a durable threat and what is the best way to combat it? In order to prevent ransomware, organizations must first understand how it works.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericIT security is a top priority for businesses around the world, but most IBM i pros don’t know where to begin—and most cybersecurity experts don’t know IBM i. In this session, Robin Tatam explores the business impact of lax IBM i security, the top vulnerabilities putting IBM i at risk, and the steps you can take to protect your organization. If you’re looking to avoid unexpected downtime or corrupted data, you don’t want to miss this session.

  • SB HelpSystems ROBOT GenericCan you trust all of your users all of the time? A typical end user receives 16 malicious emails each month, but only 17 percent of these phishing campaigns are reported to IT. Once an attack is underway, most organizations won’t discover the breach until six months later. A staggering amount of damage can occur in that time. Despite these risks, 93 percent of organizations are leaving their IBM i systems vulnerable to cybercrime. In this on-demand webinar, IBM i security experts Robin Tatam and Sandi Moore will reveal:

  • FORTRA Disaster protection is vital to every business. Yet, it often consists of patched together procedures that are prone to error. From automatic backups to data encryption to media management, Robot automates the routine (yet often complex) tasks of iSeries backup and recovery, saving you time and money and making the process safer and more reliable. Automate your backups with the Robot Backup and Recovery Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAManaging messages on your IBM i can be more than a full-time job if you have to do it manually. Messages need a response and resources must be monitored—often over multiple systems and across platforms. How can you be sure you won’t miss important system events? Automate your message center with the Robot Message Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAThe thought of printing, distributing, and storing iSeries reports manually may reduce you to tears. Paper and labor costs associated with report generation can spiral out of control. Mountains of paper threaten to swamp your files. Robot automates report bursting, distribution, bundling, and archiving, and offers secure, selective online report viewing. Manage your reports with the Robot Report Management Solution. Key features include:

  • FORTRAFor over 30 years, Robot has been a leader in systems management for IBM i. With batch job creation and scheduling at its core, the Robot Job Scheduling Solution reduces the opportunity for human error and helps you maintain service levels, automating even the biggest, most complex runbooks. Manage your job schedule with the Robot Job Scheduling Solution. Key features include:

  • LANSA Business users want new applications now. Market and regulatory pressures require faster application updates and delivery into production. Your IBM i developers may be approaching retirement, and you see no sure way to fill their positions with experienced developers. In addition, you may be caught between maintaining your existing applications and the uncertainty of moving to something new.

  • LANSAWhen it comes to creating your business applications, there are hundreds of coding platforms and programming languages to choose from. These options range from very complex traditional programming languages to Low-Code platforms where sometimes no traditional coding experience is needed. Download our whitepaper, The Power of Writing Code in a Low-Code Solution, and:

  • LANSASupply Chain is becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. From raw materials for manufacturing to food supply chains, the journey from source to production to delivery to consumers is marred with inefficiencies, manual processes, shortages, recalls, counterfeits, and scandals. In this webinar, we discuss how:

  • The MC Resource Centers bring you the widest selection of white papers, trial software, and on-demand webcasts for you to choose from. >> Review the list of White Papers, Trial Software or On-Demand Webcast at the MC Press Resource Center. >> Add the items to yru Cart and complet he checkout process and submit

  • Profound Logic Have you been wondering about Node.js? Our free Node.js Webinar Series takes you from total beginner to creating a fully-functional IBM i Node.js business application.

  • SB Profound WC 5536Join us for this hour-long webcast that will explore:

  • Fortra IT managers hoping to find new IBM i talent are discovering that the pool of experienced RPG programmers and operators or administrators with intimate knowledge of the operating system and the applications that run on it is small. This begs the question: How will you manage the platform that supports such a big part of your business? This guide offers strategies and software suggestions to help you plan IT staffing and resources and smooth the transition after your AS/400 talent retires. Read on to learn: