The AS/400's Grandfather Talks Past, Present, and Future
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

When Frank Soltis, the chief scientist for the i platform, is introduced these says as the Father of the AS/400, he sometimes likes to point out that this is not exactly a correct title for him. Technically speaking, Soltis says, he is the grandfather of the AS/400, and in fact is a man who is celebrating many anniversaries relating to the computing platform this year--not just the 20th birthday of the AS/400, which happened on Saturday but which IBM is celebrating throughout the month of June around the world. READ MORE >

IBM Offers Modest Discounts on i 525 and M25 Entry Boxes
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

The second quarter must be working out alright for the i platform, if the relative dearth of deals from IBM is any indication. Maybe Big Blue, its resellers, and its customers all agree that the new Power 520, 550, and 570 machines are all priced pretty much where they need to be, so there is no need to wheel and deal. But, some customers always need a little sweetener, and that is why IBM announced a rebate deal on the new and older generations of entry i platforms. READ MORE >

Consistent Change Offers Adjunct Services for SoftLanding Tools
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

As all of us who grew up in the late 1960s and early 1970s can tell you, three is the magic number. And as many of you know, while working alone as an IT consultant and having the freedom to set your own work schedule, build your own client base, and do the kind of work you find rewarding is a beautiful thing, sometimes it would be very useful if we could get cloned and thereby cover more customers and leave less money on the table. That is, of course, why professionals form partnerships, and often they form limited liability corporations. READ MORE >

As I See It: Flights of Fancy
by Victor Rozek

On December 7, 2005, the Air Force released its new mission statement: 'The Mission of the United States Air Force is to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests--to fly and fight in air, space, and cyberspace.' Besides noting that the Air Force should expand its mission to include hiring an English major to fix that tortured bit of writing, it is worth observing that the Air Force has taken an active interest in cyberspace. READ MORE >