Hi Murray,

You wrote to David:

ML>    I received the following from Carolyn in response to a query to
ML>teampli{at}vnet.ibm.com with regard to the announcement of a "new" PL/I
ML>"Enterprise Edition" v 2.1:

ML>  "VA PL/I V2.1 is the latest supported release.  The
"enterprise"
ML>   edition is the only one available now, and it replaces both of the
ML>   older editions, which includes standard.  CSDs will only be provided
ML>   for V2.1

Progress. one step forwatd, two steps back.

ML>  "There is a charge for upgrading. I don't know what it is, but I
ML>   believe the information can be found in the announcement letter.  You
ML>   can get to the announcement letter via the PL/I home page at
ML>   http://www.software.ibm.com/ad/pli .  Yup -- no free upgrades.
ML>   Sorry!"

ML>    Her last remark is in answer to my query as to whether (probably
ML>not!) the fact that the invoice date on my "standard" VA
PL/I v 2.0 is
ML>July 7, 1998 would entitle me to a free update.

This sounds like IBM have been learning from the MS bug fix technoque
:-(.

ML>    Here are some excerpts from the announcement letter.  Prices are for
ML>the US product, only, if purchased from IBM:

ML>VisualAge PL/I             04L6564          $2,999
ML> Enterprise V2.1
ML> Program Package
ML> CD-ROM

Wheee!!! That'll limit sales to the very rich or "must have it"
category, it'll certainly make a lot of large enterprises think twice
before buying it.

ML>VisualAge PL/I             04L6567             499
ML> Enterprise V2.1
ML> Upgrade from
ML> Professional V2.0
ML> Program Package
ML> CD-ROM

That's what I'd consider a reasonable price for the product...

ML>VisualAge PL/I             04L6566           1,249
ML> Enterprise V2.1
ML> Upgrade from
ML> Standard V2.0
ML> Program Package
ML> CD-ROM

And as an upgrade price!!!

ML>    Now, the announcement was this past April, and I bought my upgrade
ML>PL/I Standard edition v 2.0 in July for $575.  I guess it is a good
ML>thing that the vendor (Indelible Blue) didn't know that it was selling
ML>me an obsolete product :-).  None of the literature I have seen on the
ML>new "Enterprise" PL/I compiler indicates that it contains
any capability
ML>that I would possibly want that I don't have.

ML>    So, economics indicates that I am stuck at v 2.0 level.  I hope that
ML>I don't run into another one of the (always present in any compiler)
ML>remaining bugs, because even if I report it (as I did the last one I
ML>found), the CSD correcting it will cost me $1,249 :-(.

:-(

ML>    It seems that IBM just doesn't want us amateurs to play with PL/I.
ML>However, perhaps your prediction of a few months ago will come true: the
ML>revenge of the developers will force IBM to reissue the "Personal
ML>Edition" one of these days.  I hope I live that long!

At those prices they'll put off a lot of professionals too.
I have been thinking of gettimg it for a "play", but now I certainly
won't bother.

George

 * SLMR 2.1a * Computers eliminate spare time.

--- Maximus/2 3.01