What on Earth?
How in the hell is it "unfair" that these companies are no longer in the business of competing against IBM with IBM's own product? Perhaps they should feel lucky that they lasted as long as they did.
As an example, think about this:
Let's say you're a race car driver - this is a source of income for you. Now, let's say I would like to race as well. One bright sunny morning, I knock on your door, and demand that you allow me to take your research and development, at a fraction of what you spent actually doing the work, and build my own car that looks, feels, and has interchangeable parts with yours. You figure, well, what could it hurt, and allow me to do so. Over the next few years, you continue to invest in R&D, while I live off of the information I got on fire sale from you earlier. One day, you bring out a new, radically redesigned, fast car. I cry foul, since it's not fair you won't sell your R&D to me again - "But how can I compete?"
If you want to compete, you're free to do so. You cannot, however, expect that you can compete against me with my own product that I am forced to license you against my will - that's theft.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
