On Wed, 16 Feb 2000, Ralf Baechle wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 15, 2000 at 03:04:31PM +0000, jmcmullan@linuxcare.com wrote:
>
> > Ya know, I've been finding it rather interesting that all the
> > tech that IBM/DEC developed for their mainframe lines back in the
> > 1960s/1970s is coming back to haunt us...
> >
> > IO Channel -> STP
> >
> > IBM 3270 -> HTML
> > (page based
> > interaction)
> >
> > Mainframe/Terminal -> Server/Thin Client
> >
> > Clustering -> Clustering ;^)
>
> Kellog's Clusters ;-)
>
> > I have this crazy feeling that the ``PC Revolution'' will be viewed
> > in the grand scheme of things as the ``What the HECK were we thinking?''
> > score. (You know, score=20 years, as in `four score and ten years ago')
>
> I don't really agree with that. The wide deployment of computers was
> largely driven by lowering prices. From that point of view the way that
> the PC evolution just makes sense. Development just isn't as straight as
> everbody would like it to be.
>
> > And now that IBM has System 390s running Linux... ...shiver...
> > Was that a ghost of a MVS programmer spinning in his grave?
>
> Think about how you can combine some the best things of the mainframe world
> with the best of other operating systems. And you will end up with something
> that looks like Linux on a mainframe. IBM isn't just playing. I bet
> they've got a plan in their pocket.
It's a perfectly sane business decision. It takes up to 6-8 months to port
a new release of SAP R/3 to OS/390 or MVS. It takes some slight
modifications and a recompile to release it for Linux. Most of IBM's SAP
R/3 customers still use S/370's or S/390's, but IBM does the development
on AIX on RS/6000's. Now if they can tell their customers "Hey, here's a
free operating system that is far less complicated and more normal than
the one you use at the moment. It's for free, and it'll make you able to
use the next release of SAP R/3 six months earlier than if you stay with
MVS or S/390."
Guess why IBM did the port? I can imagine 3 reasons. Making money, making
publicity and making a nice hack (it didn't begin as an official
project, after all, but as a skunk-work.) I think it's a combination of
all three...
/David
_ _
// David Weinehall <tao@acc.umu.se> /> Northern lights wander \\
// Project MCA Linux hacker // Dance across the winter sky //
\> http://www.acc.umu.se/~tao/ </ Full colour fire </
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