Re: Shouldn't WDSC include SCM?

[Tom Liotta <qsrvbas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aaron Bartell wrote:

> > As to being a feature you would pay for, then why not buy from the SCM
> vendors who's focus is on making development on System i more productive?  
>
> Because they all want more than I am willing to pay for.  At my previous
> employer I did the research for the SCM software we were going to use moving
> forward.  None of them had a pricepoint for a small need (ranged from $30k
> to $150k).  But they again, they all had WAY more features than what I
> required.  

Now this seems an interesting topic.

IBM provided CVTRPGSRC for "free", but 'everybody' says "Don't use 
it; use Linoma's instead." I know, plain CVTRPGSRC did and does in 
fact get used; but we all know how many posts there are in the 
archives that recommend using alternatives.

So, the question becomes something like "What _should_ IBM provide?"

How much time/money should _IBM_ put into functionality that 
3rd-party vendors, or even open-source/community projects, could 
provide? Every dollar IBM spends this way is a dollar not spent on 
some other feature. How can IBM know when to (a) give away or (b) 
sell what we developers possibly should be providing? And how far 
along should the development be 'financed' by IBM? Where is the line 
between sufficient foundation and "WAY more features than what I 
required"?

IMO, this is the point where free enterprise enters the discussion. 
Maybe this is better suited for the Midrange-Jobs list. There is 
plenty of 'market/economics philosophy' in this.

Tom Liotta