DRTR proclaims IBM is restricting ownership rights

NORTH HALEDON, USA: Buyers of IBM hardware were treated to a new pop-up on IBM Fix Central website in the US and the EU starting August 11, 2013.

The screen announces that it is now necessary to input a serial number to validate the IBM maintenance contract status for any machine requiring a patch or fix. Serial numbers for machines that are not on a current IBM-only maintenance contract will not access the database.

"The patches and fixes being blocked behind the new entitlement database are the same patches and fixes to errors of design or manufacturing that IBM traditionally supported as part of their quality control," explains Gay Gordon-Byrne executive director of the Digital Right to Repair Coalition.

"Blocking access to defect support appears to us as nothing more than a plan to remove competition for repair in order to generate higher profit margins by monopolizing service," added Byrne.

"The patches and fixes being blocked behind the new entitlement database are the same patches and fixes to errors of design or manufacturing that IBM traditionally supported as part of their quality control"

Owners of IBM platforms are new to such demands. "Until recently, IBM had been the industry leader in retaining investment value of their equipment because they did not interfere in the rights of the buyer to control how their purchases would be supported in the long term. This included offering a return to service option for used equipment, time and materials options, and ready access to Fix Central for hardware problem resolution. Users are now learning that IBM has embraced the distasteful policies of Oracle following their purchase of Sun Microsystems in 2010," continues Gordon-Byrne.

"Users will discover that they cannot buy or sell equipment without buying additional contracts from IBM at non-competitive rates. As we saw with Sun equipment, these same policies will crush the used market and diminish the value of investments already made in IBM equipment. Independent repair and used equipment value are two sides of the same coin. No one invests in equipment that cannot be economically repaired," added Gordon-Byrne.

IBM does not appear to be applying the policy consistently, reports Gordon-Byrne. "We have been told of numerous instances where customers have successfully pointed out that they intend to follow the policies in place at the time of their initial purchase. IBM has already announced that the X series platform is not included in the policy due to customer complaints. We suspect users have more influence than they are using."

The Digital Right to Repair Coalition is committed to supporting the rights of all digital equipment owners to repair and resell their hardware purchases.

Source: Business Wire