[nulagrithom]

> This is very hard to do for mainframes because of access to them.

Bingo. I work in an AS/400 shop. I simply can't invest myself personally in the work because I know my access to that environment is predicated on working for this particular company.

I can hone my Linux skills and even my Windows Server skills any time. I can bring it home. I can use it myself. I can own it.

I can't do that with the AS/400. Just spinning up a "virtual machine" in the office to play around on is a licensing mess, and there's no "cloud" where I can rent one for a reasonable fee (that I've found). I have no sandbox.

Since my continued access to that environment isn't guaranteed or even convenient, I don't really want to dive in. And if I don't want to dive in then learning about it at all feels like a waste of time. Which then means I end up learning the absolute minimum before moving back to familiar territory.

[ownagefool]

Pretty much this. I basically steer my clients to free software, simply because they can hire people with experience in it because people can learn it easily in their free time.

[Someone]

http://www.timeshare400.com. Starts at $15/month.

[nulagrithom]

Thanks for this. Will actually be really useful form me.

[m23khan]

one of the best posts I have read on hacker news!