On Mon, 24 Dec 2001, Cameron Kaiser wrote:
I talked to the former sysadmin (who may get one of
them) and he says they
have "a lot of" RAM (at least 300MB as memory serves) and 4.1 on board.
Cool. Up & running off the bat....
Where can I get these? Does the AIX 'implied
license' still hold, i.e., if
you own an AIX-capable machine you have a license for AIX?
Well.... Actually, I don't think that's the party line. the reality is
more of a "don't ask, don't tell" thing. The OS has no license file, no
CD or reg key or any of that crap, though, and I've never heard of IBM
spanking a **private** user who borrowed a copy of AIX.
The party line with 4.3.2 and 4.3.3 is that IBM would sell you a
"non-commercial, educational" 2-user-licensed copy for the price of the
media. $50 USD. 4-cd base set, 2-cd bonus pack, 2-cd docs, trial version
of Oracle & Db2. I dunno if that's still in force for 5.1. However,
trying to *order* that was one of the most Abbott&Costello routines I
ever experienced.
It's a pretty long story. Feel free to move on.
I had bought a 7248-132 from MT Leasing, in Ohio. I called IBM sales &
tols them I wanted to buy the non-commercial set of AIX. They passed me
on to the AIX Sales Group. The following is as close to verbatim as I
can recall:
Them: Welcome to IBM's AIX Solutions Group. What company are you with?
Me: No company. This is for me personally.
Them: OK. What company does the RS/6000 belong to?
Me: Me. I own it personally.
<VERY long pause>
Them: And how will we bill this?
Me: MasterCard.
Them: The total charges will be $950 plus state sales tax.
Me: No. I said I wanted to order the non-commercial, educational
version.
Them: We don't do that.
Me: Your website says that you do.
Them: I never heard of such a thing.
Me: The URL is <don't-have-the-link-anymore>
<Even Longer Pause>
Them: May I have your phone number? I have to verify this, and find
out how to do it.
We'll call you back as soon as possible.
Two Days Later:
Them: This is John with IBM's AIX Sales Group. You had inquired about
the educational license for AIX version 4.3.3?
Me: Hi. Yes, I did.
Them: OK. We checked that out and it _is_ our policy. So you don't
need anything from us. AIX installs with the 2-user license
in place.
Me: Well, I need the media. The URL I gave you states that you'll ship
for the price of the media.
Them: Hold on.
<25 minute hold>
Them: Mr. Shipley, can we reach you again at this number?
Next Day:
Them: This is John with IBM's AIX Sales Group. We have some more
information concerning your request.
Me: Cool. What'd you find out?
Them: Well, that promo is valid, but it's only available to students
and private users. I see you're in Austin; we already have a
licensing agreement with University of Texas, so you shouldn't
need anything from us.
Me: This isn't for UT.
Them: But your profile with us says you're a UT employee.
Me: I am. But this is not connected to UT. This is for my private use.
Them: But if you're using a UT computer, their AIX license is valid.
Me: It's not a UT computer. It's my computer.
Them: Yes, but it's assigned to you by the University of Texas, right?
Me: No. This computer belongs solely to me. I own it. I *bought*
it. For me.
<Very Long Silence>
Them: You personally **own** an RS/6000?
Me: Yes. It's sitting on my kitchen table.
Them: Um. Could I get the model number and serial number from you?
<I give them the numbers>
<5 minute hold>
Them: OK, Mr. Shipley. So you're with ACME Construction, Dayton Ohio?
Me: Huh!?@?
Them: We have this computer registered to ACME Construct....
Me: NO! This is MY computer. I bought it from Midwest technology and
Leasing, who are based in Ohio. I assume this is a unit retired
from a lease, probably that construction company. But it is not
theirs. It is mine. I can fax you copies of the invoice, the
money order I paid with, and the shipping manifest if you like.
Them: You _bought_ an RS/6000? For your _own_ use?
Me-in-my-head: Hey! You're pretty quick, ain't ya?
Me: Yes. And I'd like to put AIX version 4.3.3 on it. And I'd like for
you to license that and ship it to me for the price of the
media.
Them: I don't think we do that.
Me: I thought we already decided we DO do that.
Them: But there couldn't be a maintenance contract or *anything*.
Me: May I speak with your supervisor?
Them: Can I have someone call you back?
Four Hours Later:
Them: Mr Shipley? This is Mr. Doe. I'm a manager with IBM's AIX
Solutions Group. I understand you're having some trouble
ordering software for your RS/6000?
Me: Yes, I am. Thank you for calling.
Them: I don't have your company listed here. What company are you
with?
Me: This is not for any company. This is for a 7248-132 that I own
and would *like* to use personally.
Them: Oh. $950 is a little expensive for a personal OS, isn't it?
Me: Your website advertises a personal-use, non-commercial set of
AIX v4.3.2 for the price of the media. Fifty dollars US.
<Give URL yet again>
<Wait 5 minutes>
Them: Well. It appears that we do. May I have your mailing address?
Me-in-my-head: YAY!!!!
<Give them address>
Them: And I'll transfer you to our Fulfillment Desk to arrange the
billing and shipping.
Billing: Mr Shipley! Hi! This is Anne with IBM Fulfillment. I have
an order from the AIX guys for you?
Me: Yes.
Billing: And what company is this for?
Me: No company. It's for me.
Billing: Yes, but what company do we BILL this to?
Me-in-my-head: AAAAGGGHH!!!!!
A week later I get a 17-page contract from IBM in the mail, basically
an expanded, slightly less restricted version of the standard software
EULA, which states 3 times that this is strictly for non-commercial use,
and no less than 4 (four) times that I understand completely that I get
no software support, hardware support, nor maintenance contract from IBM
for my $50 USD. I sign in four places and fax it to IBM, per
instructions. Two weeks later, I get the whole AIX v4.3.2 distribution,
complete with Bonus Pack, Update CD, and hard-copy documentation.
Doc