The Subject says it all

it's my understanding that you have to buy an IBM eserver pSeries to get AIX, at least the new version (it's pre-installed). it's possible to get a hold of AIX CDs, but no, it's not free and i don't believe there are trial versions. what did you plan on using it for?

i just wanted to fool around with it. Nothing important

yeah, it runs on some of the world's fastest supercomputers, which is pretty cool. but it's sort of hard to just play around with.

Nope, it's definitely not free.

You have to have a POWER box to run it, and generally if you have the box, you have an AIX license to go along with it.

I'm sorry but AIX is FREE.

What you're going to pay is the software support which is necessary in order to have the IBM support and u can't have a AIX box without this support called SWMA (software maintenance).

Now, u can buy your box to a broker, u can not pay the AIX software maintenance, however u will ont have IBM support access.

AIX is not free, you try getting the IBM sales people to give you a copy if you don't want support, h/w .. no chance .. You also pay for the license depending on number of users / cpu's etc ... I'm sorry your sorry, but i am sorry AIX is not free :-D

lol, Cheers, Mark

i maintain that aix is free, why ??

look at this exemple of a commercial proposition for ibm p615:

5692-A5L System Software 1 N/C
0947 MEDIA 5765-E62 AIX V5.2 1 N/C
0949 Expansion pack 1 N/C
0957 AIX Toolbox for Linux Source CD 1 N/C
0965 Aix 5.2 Update CD 1 N/C
0975 Microcode Upd Files and Disc Tool CD 1 N/C
0976 Mozilla for AIX CD 1 N/C
1004 CD-ROM Process Charge 1 57,00 OTC B
2928 French SBCS Primary Language 1 N/C
5928 French SBCS Secondary Language 1 N/C
PRL1 Preinstall 1 N/C
____________
Serial: N/A Total 57,00 EUR OTC

5765-E62 AIX V5 1 N/C
T4JLGB AIX V5.2 2 N/C
____________
Serial: N/A Total

5773-SM3 Software Maintenance for AIX, 3 Year 1 N/C
Z0L8JC D5 3 Yr SWMA for AIX per Processor Reg/Ren 2 1.939,38 OTC B


What u can see is that the only thing u pay is the SWMA, per processor (no per users like u say which mean Software Maintenance, so it's the support.

The price 57 € is the cost of fabrication for the media, but u can see at the reference 5765-E62 which is really the AIX that's thereis no price.

lol; THX

I'm ok to say that's u can have a copy for your AIX CD, ibm don't give any copy.

Maybe you forgot something.
If you have a look at the full commercial offer for a brand new system, you will see the price of the AIX licence.
Even if you upgrade from AIX 4 to AIX 5 you will have to pay for something.

hi,

i've got the IBM configurator necessary to buy pSeries. The earlier exemple comes directly for a full new offer p615. I didn't put the lignes talking about the hardware but i put everything coming with the software part.

When u do aix migrations, u pay a SWMA renewal , not aix licensing, but a support which is calculate whith the timeout of your previous support and the period of your new support. So , your new support is cheaper that a full new support.

A +

OK

Bundling AIX with a machine no more makes it free than Windows coming with a machine makes Windows free.

Go to the IBM site and try and get your free upgrade for a used machine you got off ebay.

Or better yet, compare the price of 4 way machines (or more) with AIX compared to Linux ready.

Years ago it was licensed by number of users, but now it is price per number of CPU and CPU class.

i'm ok to say that whenever you take an aix , you'll going to pay something for the software but it's the support.

Look at the exemple that describe a p615 linux ready and AIX v5.2 for a support a three years

5639-RDH Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS 3 1 N/C
A4A4R1 1-2 CPU 3-Yr Subscr+ RedHat Std Supt 1 2.875,00 OTC B
____________
Serial: N/A Total 2.875,00 EUR OTC

5692-A5L System Software 1 N/C
1004 CD-ROM Process Charge 1 57,00 OTC B
1412 RHEL AS 3 1-2 CPU 3-Yr Subscr+ RedHat Std 1 N/C
Supt
2928 French SBCS Primary Language 1 N/C
____________
Serial: N/A Total 57,00 EUR OTC


________________________________________________________________________________
5692-A5L System Software 1 N/C
0947 MEDIA 5765-E62 AIX V5.2 1 N/C
0949 Expansion pack 1 N/C
0965 Aix 5.2 Update CD 1 N/C
0975 Microcode Upd Files and Disc Tool CD 1 N/C
1005 Process no-charge 1 N/C
1432 Preinstall Tivoli Security Agent 1 N/C
2924 English Language 1 N/C
5928 French SBCS Secondary Language 1 N/C
PRL1 Preinstall 1 N/C
RGST Registration Only 1 N/C
____________
Serial: N/A Total

5765-E62 AIX V5 1 N/C
T4JLGB AIX V5.2 2 N/C
____________
Serial: N/A Total

5773-SM3 Software Maintenance for AIX, 3 Year 1 N/C
Z0L8JC D5 3 Yr SWMA for AIX per Processor Reg/Ren 2 1.939,38 OTC B
____________
Serial: N/A Total 1.939,38 EUR OTC
________________________________________________________________

you see that in this two examples, u pay for a three year support, which is redhat or ibm.

AND IBM IS MORE CHEAPER THAN REDHAT !!!!

who said that linux is free ?.??

1) I, for one, say linux is free. The holder of the copyright says it's free. The license says it's free. Get it? The license costs you nothing. Usenet support, and web support (like LinuxQuestions.org) are free. Of course, you have the option of paying for all sorts of levels of support. services and training on linux, AIX. or whatever you want. Of course of course [sic], that has nothing to do with a license fee.

2) No matter how many times you repeat your error of looking at what comes bundled with a new machine, or ignore that you were told to look at 4 processors or more so you could see the fees on the web or in the configurator, AIX license is not free.

Here is another hint - I also have been thru the process of sending IBM the obligatory letter stipulating that I have purchased a used machine that shows up in the database as belonging to someone else, so that I can get my AIX license.

And another trivia point - as I have been dealing with AIX since about 1990 - what you get when you buy AIX and related media has changed a number of times. Originally, support was a seperate fee from licensing - which was by number of users. Then the number of users idea went away. Around the introduction of 5.2, a year of support came bundled with a license - you could not seperate them. Also around this time I think was when they started doing the by CPU/CPU class issues. Now it looks like the support is back to being unbundled, and now you have the option of 1 or 3 years.

This is in part why it is such a good idea to keep your configurator price files up to date at least weekly.

Could always download Solaris for x68 and play with it if you're interested. It's a freebie. :>)