Expect i5/OS V5R5 in 2007, Power6 for System i Maybe in 2007
by Timothy Prickett Morgan and Dan Burger

Whenever IBM's top brass in the System i division attends a major trade show event like COMMON, the IBMer in charge of development of the System i platform is always on hand to give a sneak preview of the technologies that Big Blue is putting together for the next release of hardware and software. The COMMON event in Miami Beach was no exception, and Jim Herring, director of System i product management and business operations, was on hand to answer questions. READ MORE >

Venture Capitalist Thoma Cressey Acquires Vision Solutions
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Here's a story that the i5/OS and OS/400 community didn't hear in two decades of history, but which in the past year has happened more than a few times. Another prominent player in the community has been acquired by a prominent venture capitalist. In this case, late last week, Vision Solutions, which is owned by a shell holding company from South Africa called Idion Technology Holdings, said that it was going to be acquired by Thoma Cressey Equity Partners. READ MORE >

The iSociety: System i Users React
by Mary Lou Roberts

Newcomers to the iSociety community that was announced last week at COMMON are invited to register to be part of that community. The registration process begins with the iSociety Creed, which states: "I believe in one system that fully integrates all things visible and invisible, and provides abundance to business everywhere. I believe that this only system was created to enlighten business people, and to free them from the tyranny of the technologists. And I believe that, one day, there will be just one system, and that all others will be pale imitations of it." READ MORE >

As I See It: Pretexting
by Victor Rozek

"Pretexting" is defined as: A) Invading a country under false pretenses; B) Telling your spouse you're going to the store for a quart of milk and stopping for a quick beer on the way home; or C) Hiring a lot of lawyers to give the appearance of ethics and objectivity. (For the purpose of this pop quiz ignore the fact that attorneys are paid not to be objective and that lawyers are to ethics what politicians are to truth.) The answer could probably be any of the above, but if you picked "C" you're a winner, or in Hewlett-Packard's case, a loser. READ MORE >