IBM changed the pricing and packaging for Informix on Juli the 20th. You'll find further details on the websites listed below:

• IIUG: New Informix Packaging and Pricing
• Andrew Ford: The New Phone Books's Here! Informix Repackaging and Repricing - Part Duex
• Fernando Nunes: Informix Editions revisited / Versões Informix revisitadas
• Carlton Doe: Compare the Informix Version 11 editions

I personally don't like the focusing on the Windows and MAC platform that much and would be happy to see the price attractive Choice Edition on Linux as well. Informix is the best database on Linux and the MACH 11 architecture allows the creation of low cost database clusters on this platform. Windows and MAC are niche markets for Informix from my point of view. I would be happy to be proofed wrong but I don't believe that we'll see mass deployments of Informix on Windows or MAC platforms in the foreseeable future.

So why limiting the price attractive Choice Edition to Windows and MAC only ?

This only leads to an even more complicated range of different Informix Editions to choose from. Yes, this Informix Edition range is flexible and the license limits are definitely more generous than those from comparable competetive products. But you need a clever and aggressive marketing to communicate the cost advantages of Informix to the market. As of today I didn't see any official press release from IBM about the new Informix Editions and how Informix will be positioned as database of choice for the midmarket. So the word about Informix is still only spread inside the Informix community and the rest of the market doesn't take any notice of it (:-

If IBM wants to attack Microsoft SQL Server with Informix, than Linux is the perfect backend platform for this. It will be difficult for Informix to compete with Microsoft SQL Server on the Windows platform from my point of view.

Good to see that some fresh blood reduces the average age of the Informix community :-)

• Nick Geib- Enhancing the Informix database to meet the changing needs of businesses today

IBM has published a brand new Redbook about migrating from Microsoft SQL Server to IBM Informix.

• Migrating from Microsoft SQL Server to IBM Informix

From the table of contents:

• Chapter 1. Introduction
• Chapter 2. Architecture overview
• Chapter 3. Migration methodology
• Chapter 4. SQL considerations
• Chapter 5. Database schema and data migration
• Chapter 6. Application conversion
• Chapter 7. Informix configuration and administration
• Appendix A. Terminology mapping
• Appendix B. Data types
• Appendix C. Function mapping
• Appendix D. Operator mapping
• Appendix E. Administrative and monitoring task mapping
• Appendix F. Database server utilities
• Appendix G. SQL limits

An excerpt from the preface:

In this IBM® Redbooks® publication, we discuss considerations and describe a
methodology for transitioning from Microsoft® SQL Server 2008 to IBM
Informix®. We focus on the topic areas of data, applications, and administration,
providing information about the differences in features and functionality, including
data types, data manipulation language, data definition language, and stored
procedures. Understanding the features and functionality of the two products can
assist you develop a migration plan.