[AUUG-Talk]: Proprietary Unixes (Dead?)

[steve jenkin]

Con Zymaris wrote on 4/10/07 10:23 PM:
> On Thu, Oct 04, 2007 at 11:25:11AM +1000, Enno Davids wrote:
> ...
>
> I don't agree with much of what Enno's said, but can't be bothered
> arguing with him. ;-) [Instead, I'll just drop a few ideas into the
> melting pot.]
>
> I've been hearing the same verbiage from the proprietary Unix realm for
> 15+ years, and each year, open source Unix is eating more and more of
> proprietary Unix's lunch.
>   
There is more to this discussion than meets the eye...
Thanks to Enno, Conm the Davids et al for developing it.

In 1994, remember 'The Mainframe is Dead'?
It wasn't - there were more 'images' running than ever before...
I can believe there are now more MVS or Z/OS images running. [Forget
Linux on Z-series]
The mainframe business continues to prosper & grow on existing Apps -
but approx nil new Apps.

The thing we don't have for Unix is reliable numbers...
Remember the early 90's buzz of "Open Systems" - buy any SQL DB and any
Unix and heck, your App will just run on any other "Open System".

Except that it doesn't...
And "inertia".  In Australia, people are more likely to die than change
Banks.
Same with brand of Unix.  Management deems the cost of change too high,
and they keep buying the same kit.
[[Probably why serverside Java is so entrenched. Nobody is going to pay
for the conversion costs.]]

Usually.

I agree with Con - that Linux is a substitute for other Unix/POSIX
systems, not Windows and, since the 90's, not mainframes.
[Adabas/Natural & PICK systems used to be popular 'to Unix' conversions.]

The price differential only comes into play when other factors are
exhausted. Mature shops & Apps have well worn budget cycles. Change will
only occur after a major disturbance.
"Politics trump People" & "If it anit broke..."

Linux on commodity hardware, now that Oracle is there, is a hot prospect
in those shops pushed to reconsider their budgets.
A 'mono-culture' of any sort is undesirable.
Competition lifts everyone's game.  BillyG once espoused that, now
repudiates the notion.

BUT in the face of no reliable evidence, this is all speculation...

The real question is:

    Is there anyway to leverage this knowledge to our collective &
individual advantage??

=> Suggestions eagerly awaited :-)


-- 
Steve Jenkin, Info Tech, Systems and Design Specialist.
0412 786 915 (+61 412 786 915)
PO Box 48, Kippax ACT 2615, AUSTRALIA

sjenkin at canb.auug.org.au http://members.tip.net.au/~sjenkin