Excerpted from a message dated 10-17-98, George White to Murray Lesser:

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

GW>Progress. one step forwatd, two steps back.

Hi George--

    AFAIK, there have never been any CSDs for "obsolete" IBM workstation
language processors.  I was just hoping that things would be different,
this time.  Especially since most of the "Enterprise" edition (as for
the "Professional" edition that it really replaces) consists of Win
tools for diagnosing Y2K problems in big-iron PL/I programs; tools that
I have no use for.  Unfortunately, as Carolyn told me, CSD practice is
unchanged for this one :-(.

    I consider that IBM didn't believe it had done enough damage to us
amateur Team PL/I members by eliminating the "Personal" edition.  It
seems that David's nemesis - the product manager - decided to finish the
job by also eliminating the "Standard" edition :-(.

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

GW>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.

    I happen to be in Gilroy (California) at the moment, visiting a
friend who is a manager in San Jose for IBM Global Services.  He says
that PL/I programming is very popular in big-iron circles, during this
"Y2K fix" season.  (Ask David!)  I gather that most of the
"new" stuff
in the version 2.1 of PL/I consists of upgrades for those Win version
2.0 Y2K diagnostic tools.  I, too, doubt that any "enterprise"will pay
full list price for this compiler.  Any organization who needs this
facility probably will be in the $499 upgrade category.

    But I agree that IBM has certainly priced PL/I out of the range of
rational individuals, unless those individuals are already consulting
for large enterprises that use the language, at fees great enough to
cover the costs.  As I said, I am sticking with "standard edition" v 2.0
unless something changes.  I have no words of comfort for those in your
situation: still considering whether or not to give PL/I a try.

    Regards,

        --Murray

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 * MR/2 2.25 #120 * The saddest words: it might have been.

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