Re: Linux and Informix ?

First let me start off in saying I am very surpised at the swiftness of response from the Informix people. I thank you very much for your attention. I never would have thought that I would get this kind of positive response.. This reply to Jonathan Leffler is only ment as a thank you for the time spend even giving it a passing thought. As a matter of fact the original wasn't ment as an official request for attention, it was really ment as, "put this in the back of your mind and think about it, for some time when your developers are bored and want something to do." I was/am only saying that if Informix wanted to gamble (isn't that what marketing is all about) with the port, that there would be people like me that would be glad to take your money and give you quality work in return. On Tue, 20 Jun 1995, Jonathan Leffler wrote: > Your comments help explain why Informix is unlikely to want to port to > Linux as well as to the regular (meaning manufacturer-supplied, mostly) > operating systems on those platforms. I think the same criteria would > apply to almost any commercial software supplier. > > First of all, Informix is most unlikely to release its source code to > anyone without receiving a hefty fee or without placing strict > confidentiality requirements on the licensee. Informix is, first and > foremost, a commercial organization, and it's software is its life-blood. > And if the source code were released, there'd be nothing except the > licencing arrangements to stop anybody from putting it on any other > platform of their choice. So, Informix would either need to do the ports > in-house or sub-contract the work to a legally-responsible organization. I never said anything about releasing the source code to anyone or anything. I only said that there would be a large number of people that would be willing to help. What I didn't say (which I am sorry) is that there wasn't a price for the help. I like Informix, but I don't love it that much.. I have a simple policy, the only time that I am free is when the source code is free to the public, all other times I'm not... I still have to eat and pay the rent. > Secondly, you listed 6 platforms (minimum); it takes over a month to port > the products to a given platform because of the extensive testing required. > We already have to port to a large number of platforms, and adding 6 > platforms requires: > > * at least 6 extra machines to run Linux on > * people to keep track of Linux on those platforms > * an extra 6 man-months of porting and (mainly) testing time > > Plus the other operational costs of handling the system. There are also > issues like 'we use Atria for source code control and is it available on > Linux?' I only mentioned that "it is being ported to" 5 platforms in the last letter. There is only one platform that would be worth it at this time, and that is the Intel platform. I mentioned the others to sort-of give you a better idea of how much growing that it is undergoing. I agree that there are a large numbers of issues that need to be resolved before you would even think about such a task. I would, for the price I would have to pay, expect that it gets the same amount of testing that your other ports would get. > Essentially, Informix is not able to exploit the goodwill of the Linux > community to help with the porting work precisely because its software > (source code) is not available for all and sundry to use without charge. I agree Linux has a lot of goodwill. But, unless the source is open the public the Linux community more than likely wouldn't help. Except for the number of people that would send you a bill for their services... They have to eat too... > Of course, the situation may change over time; that is why Informix will > keep evaluating the situation. If it is any consolation, this discussion > has at least given Linux some visibility in the Product Marketing group > where its presence had not previously been felt. Everything changes with time. I was only throwing around ideas, in a way I guess I was doing some green light (dreaming) thinking. Here at BASS we use Informix for about %50 of our products and are very happy with the results. I saw the opertunity to maybe plant a seed that someday my grow into something that we could use to provide our customers more for less. After all, They are the reason why I have my job... Again, Thank you for the time and the ear to tell my story into. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Jason Lambert Bass, Inc. CIX Software Analyst 2211 Arbor Blvd. (513) 293-5732 Dayton, Ohio jlambert@bassinc.com 45439 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=