Greg Shirley wrote: >Unfortunately, it gets a bit complicated when the changes that need to be >tested in the compiler come at a version level. Once you have ordered a >new version, you have a year to migrate off the old version, or IBM begins >charging you for running both.
I'm afraid you're simply incorrect and repeating a complaint that has already been well discussed and debunked in this very forum. To revisit this topic in summary form, IBM provides at least two straightforward choices to avoid starting (or even having) the Single Version Charge (SVC) period: 1. Order the IBM Enterprise COBOL Developer Trial for z/OS. Use IBM program number 5655-TRY. You can conveniently order 5655-TRY on Shopz and get electronic delivery (in countries where Shopz is available) or order physical media (preferably DVD) elsewhere. Exactly as its name suggests it's a temporary evaluation license for non-production use of the full product. The trial license allows you to test and evaluate the value gained from Enterprise COBOL Version 5.2 before making a formal upgrade decision -- including CSP, VisualAge Generator, and/or EGL (preferably EGL) performance checks if you wish. 5655-TRY does *not* initiate a SVC period. 2. Upgrade/switch to IBM Country Multiplex Pricing (CMP), introduced earlier this year. CMP is available at least as close to worldwide as possible. There are no SVC periods under CMP at all. CMP does away with SVC periods for *all* IBM software products. There has also always been a third option: "Talk with your friendly IBM representative." No promises, but they tend to be reasonable people in my experience if you have a reasonable justification for an exception. Even if you somehow manage to get past all three of these perfectly reasonable, viable options, and if you then somehow exceed your one year SVC period, "So what!" Enterprise COBOL Version 5.2 yields performance benefits on practically every program you let it recompile and re-optimize. (How much? "It depends," but that's a fair generalization -- and see #1 above.) To the extent you can take advantage of Enterprise COBOL 5.2, even if it's not across 100% of your code portfolio, you (and your employer) are most likely a net winner in the efficiencies you pick up in your production environments. Even if you can recompile only a portion of your code portfolio that contributes to your peak utilization you still most likely win. Then there are the functional improvements, too. Once again I share John Gilmore's frustration. :-( -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Timothy Sipples IT Architect Executive, Industry Solutions, IBM z Systems, AP/GCG/MEA E-Mail: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [email protected] with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN
