System for Sale Versus Service for Rent
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Like many of you out there in IT Land, I am not a member of the Digerati. A long, long time ago--about the time I got married and had better things to do with my money--I stopped being on the cutting edge of personal technology and I started going wicked conservative when it came to my PC, laptop, cell phone, and other gadgetry. This is a theme that will be familiar to many AS/400 shops, particularly those whose machines are paid for and are doing their work, 24x7, without any fuss. If it works, don't spend money. READ MORE >

The i 7.1s Have It; i5/OS V5R4 Extended
by Timothy Prickett Morgan

Well, it looks that that future OS/400-i operating system release is going to be called i 7.1 after all, and thank heavens because as I said a few weeks ago, I was getting a bit tired of saying the next i/OS release, possibly called i 6.2 or i 7.1, due sometime in 2010. According to various customer and business partner sources who have been briefed by IBM in recent weeks, not only has the name been decided upon, but i5/OS V5R4 has had its life extended. READ MORE >

IBM Smart Business Moves into Italy, Solutions List Grows in U.S. and India
by Dan Burger

Back in the day, IBM blew a pretty loud trumpet touting its mastery of technology. These days, the IBM trumpet plays a different song. It no longer touts technology. IBM prefers to sell business solutions. Take, for instance, its Smart Business program that focuses on mid-market customers that need to find, purchase, deploy, and maintain a business computing solution that is application oriented and keeps things as simple as possible. If it sounds like re-inventing the AS/400, it is. READ MORE >

As I See It: High on Quack
by Victor Rozek

It was November 1st and the Pacific Northwest was so vibrantly attired in Autumnal splendor that you'd think God was showing off. I was riding my bike along the Willamette River, through dappled sunlight and a steady sprinkle of golden leaves. The air was crisp and scented with mulch, and the river sparkled like molten silver as it made its unhurried journey to the sea. It was unexpectedly warm and dry for this time of year, and I rode without urgency or agenda, past frolicking dogs, stately blue herons, and lawnfuls of Canadian geese. READ MORE >