Everyone likes free stuff, right? Please reply to this message with your nominations for the new, bigger, even more exciting 2020 edition of “Free Stuff for Your Mainframe.” To get you started (in other words, to let you know about the freebies I surely know about already), the 2016 edition of this particular list is posted here:
Nominations are welcome in all of the following categories (and likely a couple more that I haven’t thought of):
* oriented to the machines themselves (e.g. IBM HMC Mobile, Feature Code
0115)
* whole operating systems and tools that can start up on their own (e.g.
ZZSA)
* for all 5 major operating systems (z/OS, z/VSE, z/TPF, z/VM, Linux on Z)
N.B. For Linux on Z I’ll probably limit this particular list to software that has some reasonably specific IBM Z and/or IBM LinuxONE affinity, and/or affinities to other IBM Z operating systems and their workloads.
LXCMS is one possible example in that vein.
* for mainframe middleware (Db2 for z/OS, CICS TS, IMS, MQ, WAS for z/OS, etc., e.g. SupportPacs for CICS and MQ)
* for various subsystems and tools (e.g. ISPF add-ons such as Zigi, RACF tools such as PWDCOPY)
* programming languages (e.g. IBM Open Enterprise Python for z/OS)
* handy sample code, such as useful REXX scripts
* programming libraries, modules, and tools (e.g. Rocket Software’s Git for z/OS)
* free mainframes (e.g. the LinuxONE Community Cloud, the Master the Mainframe Learning System)
* tools for mainframe storage
* public cloud services with mainframe affinities (e.g.
https://nam11.safelinks.protec
* mainframe planning and estimation tools (e.g. the IBM Z Batch Network
Analyzer)
* free security-related tools and offers with mainframe affinities (e.g.
free TLS certificates, as long as you can actually use them in z/OS RACF for example)
* free mainframe-related books and education
* free “abandonware”
* trialware and “juniorware,” but only if it offers real, material value (this’ll be a personal judgment call)
* client device-installed software that has mainframe affinities (e.g. IBM Explorer for z/OS, terminal emulation software, development tools, etc.)
I’d like to hold a Webcast to highlight a few of these gems, probably sometime in late August or September (2020), repeated a couple times to cover various timezones better. During this Webcast there’d be a few quick, ~5 minute demonstrations of mainframe freebies. If you’re interested in having 5 minutes of additional fame and would like to volunteer to show off your favorite freebie(s), please reply to this message indicating your interest.
Nominations close on July 31, 2020. Thanks, everyone!
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Timothy Sipples
I.T. Architect Executive
Digital Asset & Other Industry Solutions IBM Z & LinuxONE
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E-Mail: [email protected]
Regards, Len
Leonard J Santalucia
CTO | Business Development Manager | Certified Specialist | IBM Champion
Chair Linux Foundation Open Mainframe Project
Vicom Infinity, Inc.
IBM Gold Business Partner
21 Penn Plaza (FL6 @ WeWork)
New York, New York 10001
Mobile……………..917-856
eFax……..413-622-1229
Recipient of The North America IBM Z Business Partner Sales Excellence Award
