When the goal is better security and reduced management costs, Microsoft chooses to scrap the GUI.

By Chris Smith

There is irony in the fact that IBM--and its Business Partners--are charging ahead as fast as they can to put a GUI onto everything related to IBM i (i5/OS) while Microsoft, in its latest version of Windows Server 2008, is actually removing the GUI.

By Barry L. Kline

Call me a geek, but I always get excited when I acquire a new, more powerful server. To me, there's nothing quite as beautiful as a well-engineered piece of hardware, and IBM's xSeries boxes never fail to bring a smile to my face. As much as I have always loved the bigger machines, I have come to realize that for some of my projects, even a minimal desktop computer is an unnecessary waste of physical space and electricity. Thus, I found myself in a quest to find minimalist computing nirvana. What a short trip! I found all that I needed was in the diminutive and hackable embedded hardware disguised as wireless routers available at your neighborhood office supply store.

During my quest for access to the System i, I uncovered an absolute diamond.

By Joe Pluta

This article is going to start out with a little bad news. Understand that most of the bad news is my fault; I'm going to have to revisit some of the problem areas I encountered when I have more time. But as they say, it's an ill wind that blows no good, and in this case in particular, my hunt for the best alternate access bore unexpectedly wonderful fruit.

Does the program-conversion requirement in V6R1 mean you should put off your move to V6R1? That depends....

By Joe Pluta

A lot of issues have been brought to light regarding the latest release of i5/OS, perhaps none bigger than the object conversion issue. I've heard incredible amounts of static on the mailing lists about this, and it's perhaps the single most talked-about topic regarding the upgrade to V6R1. But is it really that much of an issue? I contend that, depending on whom you are, there may be much bigger fish to fry.

By Barry L. Kline

Open-source software (OSS) was the purview of hackers and other "computer radicals" when I was first introduced to its wonders. Back then, forward-thinking geeks smuggled OSS into corporate America, where it was put to good use for replacing Windows file/print servers and for intranet/Internet infrastructure. Installing OSS had to be a clandestine operation, given that the pointy-hair management types were unwilling to believe that a free product could perform as well as, if not better than, the proprietary software it was destined to replace. Thus, there was little or no management buy-in (pun intended) or approval for its utilization.

With its wealth of new features, i5/OS V6R1 will help the System i maintain its key role in many data centers.

By Lee Kroon

Last Tuesday, IBM took the wraps off a much-anticipated new version of the i5/OS operating system. In its announcement, Big Blue did more than just trot out new features and functions for System i users. It also indicated that the System i will participate in a cross-brand initiative to woo small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) away from competitive server vendors. That initiative will pair up i5/OS with new products that could change how the IT community perceives the operating system.