NOT disagreeing with any of the sentiments, but here's a tiny glimpse into one aspect of the battle.
At one point in the early 1990s, whatever IBM PartnerWorld was called at the time went from being no-charge to $5,000 per year. We signed up, having no real choice. One of the touted benefits was that we could get the PL/X compiler! So I asked for it, and was sent a tape (minireel, 6250bpi, I think). A couple of months later, they changed the rules so PWD was now a no-charge program, but PL/X as a benefit went away. "No problem," I hear you cry, "You already had the compiler, right?" Right - but part of it becoming no-charge was that we'd get our $5,000 back! Only.we were the only vendor (or one of the few) who had received the compiler, and GDL had had to PAY whatever lab (I think Raleigh but not sure) "owned" the compiler a license fee. So I got to go to my boss and tell him "I have good news and bad news, and it's the same news: we're getting MOST of that $5K back." And why. I think the compiler cost us about $1600 or the $5K. So. it was indeed a bonehead move, but I don't think it was quite as simple as it appeared on the outside. Perhaps the lab that owned it are the ones to blame, not the z people (at the time, System/390 people!). .phsiii ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
