IBM to Offer Free EGL Tool for Web 2.0
by Alex Woodie

'Free' is not typically a word that's associated with IBM, especially when it comes to System i and System z programming tools, which can carry seven- or eight-figure price tags for the biggest customers. But Big Blue is making a big gamble that a free version of its EGL tool for creating Web 2.0 applications, tentatively named EGL Community Edition, will pay off in the long run by establishing a large community of users who are familiar with EGL, and provide an alternative to PHP and Ruby on Rails. READ MORE >

Infor Spurs Customer Upgrades with 'Flex' Incentives
by Alex Woodie

Infor yesterday unveiled a new program that seeks to make it easier and less expensive for customers to upgrade to the latest release of their software, or to migrate to the latest release of an equivalent Infor product. The program, called Infor Flex, is aimed at addressing a problem faced by Infor, along with its big ERP competitors: The fact that many customers are running on very old releases of software, and have no easy way to get current without incurring lots of risk and big fees. Flex addresses those pain points, Infor says. READ MORE >

Application Maintenance Becomes a Service at vLegaci
by Dan Burger

Before the recession, organizations looked to cut costs by extending equipment upgrade cycles and trimming staff. Globalization increased competitiveness and then the recession intensified the requirements for success. In IBM AS/400 (iSeries and System i) IT departments, this plays out in decisions to delay system upgrades and make staff reductions, just like other departments are faced with similar situations. Given this reality, Steve Kilner at vLegaci, believes he has a tool that fits in well. READ MORE >

Companies Put PHP to Work With BCD's WebSmart
by Robert Gast

The benefits of Web-based applications for purposes such as online shopping and order entry can reduce personnel costs and other bottlenecks when working with suppliers and customers. In IBM i shops, the interest in PHP has been surprisingly vigorous. Two companies that recently went live with IBM i PHP applications are Midwest Fuel Injection (MWFI) and American Foods Groups (AFG), both of which chose WebSmart PHP from Business Computer Design. READ MORE >