We don't need to get pedantic about IBM's discount programs. It comes down to
filling out an application and discussing it with program administrators. It
appears to me that there isn't much difference between a larger ISV and a
developer cooperative as far as the discounts are concerned. It's more a matter
of what the platform is used for. In case of PID, it's used for developing at
least one approved application.
My biggest question has to do with using IBM i servers for hosting production
applications for commercial purposes. My recollection was that discounted
machines were not licensed for that. But there wasn't any mention of it in the
agreement you posted. Whatever the case, it seems to me that a a cooperative
could be a good business model for both developing and hosting commercial
applications, anyway.
-Nathan
----- Original Message ----
From: Aaron Bartell <aaronbartell@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Web Enabling the AS400 / iSeries <web400@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Mon, November 15, 2010 5:09:36 PM
Subject: Re: [WEB400] IBM i in the cloud (was social media)
Yep, I totally agree. In the end it is the spirit of the matter of
what we are trying to accomplish. But I could also see IBM having
issue with machines being sold for 50% off that were used to host
cooperative production workloads - even if they were selling IBMi
software.
I don't plan on stretching the rules, but I would be intrigued to hear
IBM's opinion on the matter. I have wrongly categorized IBM
intentions before (which is why I wrote about the VLP program - I
thought it was only for ISVs), and maybe this is one of those cases.
Aaron Bartell
www.MowYourLawn.com/blog
www.OpenRPGUI.com
www.SoftwareSavesLives.com
On Mon, Nov 15, 2010 at 5:57 PM, Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I read that. So, IBM doesn't want you to get a 50% discount on a system, then
resell it for profit. Makes sense. The purpose of the machine is to develop
approved applications, to help sell IBM platforms. That what the cooperative
is
for. Members of a cooperative are the owners of the cooperative, not
customers.
A cooperative is not reselling anything to them.
-Nathan
midrange.com
