Re: Free IDS Download

DA Morgan wrote: > scottishpoet wrote: >> It may well be that DB2 and Oracle do not use the same technology in >> their product that causes IDS to requires export approval, or the >> version made available has had that technology removed > > But it isn't. Every time I downloaded Oracle in the past there was an agreement I had to agree to in order to download the software. On IBM's site it's the same. Even MySQL has some of this, as well as other usage restrictions from all of them. Sybase too, even Microsoft. Anyway... This so-called issue has yet to be confirmed, it was posted as a response without any proof or validation that it is a real reason to prevent the download from appearing. It's already a download, so that argument is doesn't really wash. It just doesn't fit. Export restrictions appear on practically every software product worth buying. The real story is to ask why Informix is still not being given an equal chance. I don't think anyone is arguing for more exposure than DB2 at this point, just an equal opportunity for the product. It baffles the average joe to wonder just wtf the people are doing in the so-called marketing department. Sure, get excited by going to conferences and events. But these are not the way to get the product out there. They only serve people who are already interested in the product. There needs to be a real effort to win newcomers to the fold, this is the real need, not preaching to the choir. All the mystic, skull duggery, and insider trivia are not going to make Informix important outside the flock, only advertising and real marketing will get it done. The download should be every bit as good as it it were going to be deployed into production. It is important to note that any one serious enough to use the product should have every intention of paying for the software if it indeed goes into a production environment, but this is not the only reason to download it. It should be available so developers and DBAs can get up to speed on the features in order to support it and make recommendations as to its appropriateness. We all know this is why it should be available. The real reason it isn't is obvious, IBM doesn't really want Informix to succeed. Plain and simple.

Double Echo wrote: > DA Morgan wrote: >> scottishpoet wrote: >>> It may well be that DB2 and Oracle do not use the same technology in >>> their product that causes IDS to requires export approval, or the >>> version made available has had that technology removed >> >> But it isn't. > > Every time I downloaded Oracle in the past there was an agreement I had > to agree to in order to download the software. On IBM's site it's the > same. Even MySQL has some of this, as well as other usage restrictions > from all of them. Sybase too, even Microsoft. > > Anyway... > > This so-called issue has yet to be confirmed, it was posted as a response > without any proof or validation that it is a real reason to prevent the > download from appearing. It's already a download, so that argument is > doesn't really wash. It just doesn't fit. Export restrictions appear > on practically every software product worth buying. > > The real story is to ask why Informix is still not being given an equal > chance. If you need to ask the question you aren't paying attention. The reason is because IBM management has made a decision. One can say many things about IBM but it is not incompetent. What they do they do well and they do for a reason. The questions you should be asked are "Why did they make the decision they made?" and "What are the implications to my career and the RDBMS marketplace?" -- Daniel A. Morgan University of Washington damorgan@x.washington.edu (replace x with u to respond) Puget Sound Oracle Users Group www.psoug.org

DA Morgan wrote: > Double Echo wrote: >> DA Morgan wrote: >>> scottishpoet wrote: >>>> It may well be that DB2 and Oracle do not use the same technology in >>>> their product that causes IDS to requires export approval, or the >>>> version made available has had that technology removed >>> >>> But it isn't. >> >> Every time I downloaded Oracle in the past there was an agreement I had >> to agree to in order to download the software. On IBM's site it's the >> same. Even MySQL has some of this, as well as other usage restrictions >> from all of them. Sybase too, even Microsoft. >> >> Anyway... >> >> This so-called issue has yet to be confirmed, it was posted as a response >> without any proof or validation that it is a real reason to prevent the >> download from appearing. It's already a download, so that argument is >> doesn't really wash. It just doesn't fit. Export restrictions appear >> on practically every software product worth buying. >> >> The real story is to ask why Informix is still not being given an equal >> chance. > > If you need to ask the question you aren't paying attention. > > The reason is because IBM management has made a decision. One can say > many things about IBM but it is not incompetent. What they do they do > well and they do for a reason. > > The questions you should be asked are "Why did they make the decision > they made?" and "What are the implications to my career and the RDBMS > marketplace?" Daniel, You are right on the money--or right about the money. What happened was that I was sleeping when I posted. Then I woke up. :o) I did however migrate my skill set away from DBA to further insulate me and my family from the roller coaster db market. There are so many other areas that are a lot more fun right now, especially in the virtual machine space, system administration, and application development. DB's appear to be moving to more of a commodity product, so DBA does not look like it is going to really get 'harder', if anything it's going to get easier and easier to maintain databases. DBA is still a good discipline but the focus on particular products increases the risk required for the individual, because they have to focus on the skills for a product over time, which can affect and effect their career negatively for products that don't get good market exposure. Better for the individual these days to focus on good, solid, portable skills that don't suffer at the hands of the marketing department. That means sometimes making sure if you're an Informix DBA that you keep your other skills up to date so you can find new opportunities that don't involve Informix. Informix is like working with poisonous snakes. It's interesting work but you don't want to get bitten. -DE-

Double Echo <doubleecho@your.com> wrote in news:5dp4h.162424$Ls4.1489@fe63.usenetserver.com: > DA Morgan wrote: > > Daniel, > > You are right on the money--or right about the money. > > What happened was that I was sleeping when I posted. Then I woke up. > You sleep????? >:o) > > I did however migrate my skill set away from DBA to further insulate > me and my family from the roller coaster db market. There are so many > other areas that are a lot more fun right now, especially in the > virtual machine space, system administration, and application > development. In my neck of the world a dedicated Informix DBA doesn't really exist (they might but they are very thin on the ground). You are actaully expected to manage the database, massage the data, be a system admin, write applications, manage the network, set up hardware, set up the operting environment, hound users, smile and enjoy it. Thats just nromal work. You might even be asked to be nice to customers. To be sure, most businesses over here, don't even rate a mention in terms of size compared with the US and Europe. However, the reality is, that multiskilled (and multi-vendor) IT people, get more job opportunities. > DB's appear to be moving to more of a commodity product, > so DBA does not look like it is going to really get 'harder', if > anything it's going to get easier and easier to maintain databases. I agree for a single vendor database. However the size and complexity of the data environment will increase. Particularly as organisations get in on the "must capture all information in the organisation" craze. In this case all I see is mash ups of all sorts of data environments (or buying into the "Information Server" thingie (which is just another mash anyway)). > DBA is still a good discipline but the focus on particular products > increases the risk required for the individual, because they have to > focus on the skills for a product over time, which can affect and > effect their career negatively for products that don't get good market > exposure. I agree. And for the "little man", how do you pre-guess the corporate. You can't. (Not even sure that "they" can). And as we know, all to well, the best technology is not necessarily the winner in this game. The winner is usually the organisation with the best mouth. > Better for the individual these days to focus on good, > solid, portable skills that don't suffer at the hands of the marketing > department. DE. "don't suffer at the hands of the marketing" Really? Please tell me something that does not suffer in the hands of the marketing department? I am surprised. Still asleep? >That means sometimes making sure if you're an Informix > DBA that you keep your other skills up to date so you can find new > opportunities that don't involve Informix. Informix is like working > with poisonous snakes. It's interesting work but you don't want to > get bitten. And if you do get bitten, the anicdote is Orrrracle. :-) David > > > -DE- > >