Re: V6R1 -- MIDRANGE-L

Lukas Beeler <lukas.beeler@...> writes:

On Feb 8, 2008 6:13 PM, James Lampert <jamesl@...> wrote:

At least IBM's better than Microsloth, which has a long-established
habit of intentionally and maliciously treating third-party software
vendors like mushrooms (i.e., keeping them in the dark and feeding them
a lot of . . . ).

I heavily disagree with you. Our Server Software runs on the System i,
the Client runs on Windows Systems.

We're an IBM Premier Level BP.

We don't have ANY possibility to test our Software on V6R1. None.
Zilch. Nada. Only for specially privileged people in the US. ANZOBJCVN
on non-#2929 systems took HALF A YEAR to come out after the #2929
version, leaving us with only a redbook that specified PTFs for OS
versions we don't use or support.

After the PTFs were finally out, we still didn't have any possibility
to actually test our software on V6R1.

Even if it we could have access to prerelease Versions of V6R1,
testing them would be very expensive. We'd need to buy a seperate
Model 515 just to be able to run V6R1 (we don't have any Big Beef
machines like others on thist lis)

Not so with Microsoft. As a normal "Microsoft Partner", we had access
to Windows Vista Betas/RCs for several years leading up to the
release. With each new Beta, we verified that our Client Software
still worked as intended, fixed any issues that cropped up, and when
Vista was finally released in November 06 for Companies, we just
installed our software, ran our test suite, and voila: We we're ready
for the Windows Vista GA in Jan 07.

The same thing happened with Windows Server 2008. We support our
Software running in Terminal Server Environments. Again, we had the
same experience as with Vista. As the difference between WS2008 and
Vista weren't as big as between XP and Vista, we didn't encounter any
problems. Now, Windows Server 2008 was available for us again, 30 days
before GA. We can now say confidently that our software works
correctly on Windows Server 2008.

Testing WS2008 was a breeze. We just needed an EMT64 capable Intel CPU
and a few disks. We bought an IBM System x3250 for this purpose. Runs
well. Tested everything. Testing Vista was a breeze to. We just needed
a normal PC.

All i5/OS PartnerWorld members (www.ibm.com/partnerworld) are eligible for the
i5/OS V6R1 Beta. The V6R1 Beta has been open since November 2007. Below are
the three different ways to participated in the Beta using your own hardware
or IBM's. If you have any difficulties joining the Beta, please send an e-mail
to iaic@xxxxxxxxxxx

Getting early access to V6R1:
--If you would like your own copy of V6R1 (early code) to install on your
system now, please send a note to iaic@xxxxxxxxxx requesting your own copy of
V6R1, the contact name that should receive the code, email address for that
person and your company PartnerWorld account number. We will initiate the
process for you to get early code.
--If you would like to use V6R1 at one of the IBM Innovation Centers (IIC),
you can find out more at: http://www-304.ibm.com/jct09002c/isv/spc/ and then
send a note to iaic@xxxxxxxxxx requesting access to the IIC, a contact name
that will be working with the IIC, email address for that person and your
company PartnerWorld account number. We will initiate the process for you to
get access to V6R1 at the IIC.
--The Virtual Loaner Program (VLP). V6R1 is still beta code so if you want to
use it, you need to join the beta BEFORE you can see V6R1 in the VLP. If you
are interested in learning more about this offering, check out:
http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/pub/systems/vlp. If you would like to use
the VLP, send a note to iaic@xxxxxxxxxx requesting access to the VLP, a
contact name that will be working with the VLP, email address for that person
and your company PartnerWorld account number. When the VLP becomes available,
we will send you a special "Promotional Code" to enable your access to V6R1.