[SunRescue] OT: AS/400 stuff

[Dave McGuire]

On June 5, Paul Khoury wrote:
> >> Damn.  So it's not really all that useful then?
> >> What I would like is a PC500/P390 machine, or one of the P370 cards.
> >> That is, if I can also find the S/390 software for it (VM/ESA I think?).
> >> I saw some of these, with OS/2 and VM installed selling on ebay, but they
> >> were going for almost $4000!
> >
> >  Heh...that was a *steal*.  Care to take a guess at what a copy of
> >VM & OS/390 costs?  Multiply that cost by 25.
> >
> >  Do P370 cards ever show up on the used market?  Where might one find
> >one of those?
> >
> >     
> Shit, $1000 for the license?  Yikes.

  Umm, no...ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND dollars.

  The P390 (I have this on good authority from a VERY knowledgeable
friend who has several) runs the exact same OS distribution as a
"real" S/390.  And keep in mind that the S/390 is a true mainframe...a
current-technology one at that.  Through and through, no bullshit.
There ain't no buyin' an OS for fifty bucks for something like that.

> Well, they say on the auction it's a non-transferrable license, for demo use.
> Like anyone is stupid enough to listen to that disclaimer anyways...

  I think we all know what that means.  It's the seller covering his/her
ass, and it's probably defensible in court.

        -Dave McGuire