IBM Discounts WebFacing/HATS Combo Price by 60 Percent

Last week, IBM announced a 60 percent discount off the combined WebFacing and Host Access Transformation Services (HATS) software for modernizing legacy green-screen applications. Or at least I think it is. I am sure of the 60 percent discount, which runs until September 30, but I am not exactly sure of the channel.

The announcement was written in a foreign language that I think is somewhere between System i5ese and Esper-Domino. Here’s what IBM said:

“For a limited time only, the commercial Passport Advantage Relationship Suggested Volume Prices (RSVP) and Passport Advantage Express Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for selected eligible new IBM WebFacing Deployment Tool for WebSphere Development Studio with HATS technology licenses for the IBM System i5 marketplace have been reduced by 60 percent. The reduction does not apply to Passport Advantage Agreements with an Attachment for an Academic Volume Option.”

So, if you are a school, forget you. But if you are a company and you buy System i software through the Passport software channel, you can get the WebFacing/HATS combo at a 60 percent discount. It doesn’t say anything about governments. Draw your own conclusions.