IBM is actively embracing a new software framework called Apache Spark as the core engine powering predictive analytics application going forward. The big data world has gone absolutely gaga over Spark, and Big Blue has even put Spark on the venerable z/OS mainframe. But where does that leave its little brother, the IBM i platform?

Apache Spark, if you’re not familiar, is hands down the hottest technology at the moment in the world of big data analytics. The open source project is so popular because it implements a relatively easy to use framework for running in-memory analytic workloads across

The word on the street is that Big Blue is getting ready to make some announcements for the Power Systems platform in October, so brace yourself for more stuff. We are not sure exactly what IBM is gearing up to do, but we have heard some rumblings that will affect the IBM i customer base tangentially and perhaps, if we have our way, directly.

IBM likes to tie announcements to specific events, and personally, I would like for the new hardware, software, and services to be launched at the Power Systems and System Storage Technical University in Cannes, France, which

Friday was the first day of RDi 9.5 season. The general availability of the latest edition of IBM‘s modern RPG development environment was celebrated with fireworks, champagne, and raucous cheering at IBM i shops from Boston to Berlin to Beijing. If only it were that illustrious. The adoption rate of RDi is unquestionably on the rise, but the pace is closer to a rustle than a hustle. Maybe the new RDi enhancements will up the tempo.

Of all the new features added to RDi 9.5, there are three that may turn up the power of persuasion somewhat for shops

The remarkable Edwin Land was a persnickety inventor who wove science and art, a college dropout who never stopped learning and teaching. Land and his Polaroid Corporation built a tower of brilliant things; the SX-70 camera stood at its pinnacle. His life and work inspired Steve Jobs, mastermind of the Macintosh, iPod, iPhone, iPad, iTunes app store, and the magnificent, inimitable Apple Inc. After Land left Polaroid, it withered into a husk. Since Steve Jobs died, Apple, IBM’s only hope, has struggled. If Apple eventually collapses as Polaroid did, its demise will accelerate the ruin of IBM.

Jobs’

Here is a weird one. Last week, IBM released PTF patches for OS/400 V5R4, also known as i5/OS 5.4, the venerable release of OS/400 that came out in February 2006 and that was withdrawn from marketing in May 2011 and had its standard Software Maintenance ended in September 2013. Extended maintenance is still running for those customers who pay for it, and will continue to do so until September 30, 2016.

While this Program Support Extension (PSE) support does offer tech support for the V5R4 stack on Power Systems and earlier machines, it has always been my understanding that Big