Re: open source the IBM i kernel. Was: Why i??? NEED YOUR INPUT

[Steve Richter <stephenrichter@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, Feb 26, 2010 at 11:51 AM, Jon Paris <jon.paris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Feb 26, 2010, at 11:26 AM, midrange-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > Let's perform a thought experiment.  I have an ERP package that runs
> > my
> > business.  It runs on IBM i.  IBM _does_ open source i5/OS, the RPG
> > compiler, etc.  My 19 year old niece _does_ hack some new code into
> > them and releases the changes into the wild.
>
>
>
> I agree with your sentiment Buck. But I don't think there's any danger
> of your niece (or anyone else much) _wanting_ to hack the OS. So much
> of it is written in PL/MI. It is proprietary - never released publicly
> by IBM - and not likely to be since that would open up the other PL/x
> derivatives which are not even owned by Rochester. Trust me, very few
> C# or Java fans like Steve will _ever_ want to work in PL/MI. It has
> some nice features but is not an easy language to get into.
>
> The RPG compiler on the other hand is written in C - now that we could
> work with. Well not me personally - I hate C - but someone would enjoy
> playing I'm sure.
>
> Is this the 33rd or 34th time this list has hosted this discussion

Many more than 33. Maybe some of us has an opinion on the war in Afg?

I do want to learn, so please if you know, explain how PL/MI or w-code
is of value to IBM being proprietary? I appreciate there is a lot of
value derived when IBM uses its proprietary software to maximize
performance of its hardware. My guess is it is the collective wisdom
and work of IBM employees that creates that value, not the tools they
use.   And if you don't release the code to retain the value, you have
to calculate the lost sales of IBM products that would have occured if
the proprietary code was released to the public.

I think it comes down to corporate fiefdoms, tradition and vested
interests. Look how the people within GM's orbit clung to the
established order even as the pieces were disintegrating all around
them.