One of the ongoing problems with being an independant IBM software developer is access to the software. In the past we have been able to buy subscriptions to the Developer Works toolbox (which is now defunct). I think I may have been a bit slow on the uptake here but if you sign up to become a Business Partner then you can buy the Value Options package for £580 per annum which covers licenses for Rational Application Developer (formerly WSAD), Websphere 5 and 6 servers, and all of the Lotus software you need.
Still quite a lot of money if you look at it from the point of view of buying a single product but overall I think it’s well worth it. I know some of the other contractors out in the blogsphere have gone for the next option up (the Value Pack) which costs $2,000 and includes a load of training courses as well but I am not sure I would make sufficient use of them to make it worthwhile. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has gone the whole hog to see what they think.
