RE: iSeries Nation and this list

<now I remember what it was doing in my Drafts folder...  It wasn't
finished, and I hadn't even read your entire post, Janet...  Sheesh,
again...>

OK...  First off, if you recall from a few months back, Janet, I've been
"asked" to NEVER contact ANY execs at IBM, ever.  I had thought about
posting an open letter to Ms. Lucas, because she was kind enough to e-mail
me material for a teleconference with Mr. Drew Flaada, about 6 months back.
It was late in the day, and her efforts were WAY above the call of duty.
OTOH, the feeling is somewhat mutual between me and IBM, at this stage of
the "game"...;-)  Point being, you can use this info however you want,
Janet, and you're probably better off NOT saying who it came from...


Second, I had intended to add one point to this post.  I saw the link to
iSeries Services Network (I thin', can't find it now and am tired of wasting
hours on the iNation site, because they don't appear to know how to build
one that works effectively...  Sorry, thats a fact.).  I found it when I was
writing last time... Sheesh...  Point being:  the thing is geered for huge
customers and huge consulting agencies.  That may be where the large
percentage of dollars are...  Maybe not, because that figure doesn't include
lost sales opportunities that small consultants /could/ provide.  And if you
want to help a large number of people, you'd want to build a large
grassroots network of small consultants.


Third, I *sure* didn't see the point at the bottom, about funding.  That
makes it a whole new ballgame.


Fourth, a couple simple solutions, which depend on what you mean precisely
by "*some* budget".

1)  You take "x"% of this money or $"y", and you tell the ENTIRE 400
Community, using every listserv, media outlet, and user group that wants to
co-operate:  "Here is some money, now the challenge to the Community is to
MATCH THIS AMOUNT."

2)  You give IBM 50% say in how the money is spent, you give the iNation
Freedom Council 50% say...  No time to argue about the makeup of the Freedom
Council, although it was hand-picked by Mr. Haines rather than selected BY
the Community it's intended to represent.

3)  You allocate the money.  I'd recommend a grid of low-end 400s.  One to
david, one to Common, one to... (well how much money ARE we talking,
anyway...?  See the problem...?)

4)  Just to show I'm not all talk, and am willing to "walk the walk"...  I
voluteer to get Sametime 2.5 up and running, assuming remote access to one
of these 400s.  THIS IS KEY...!  (Doesn't matter who does it, BTW, I'm just
volunteering because I'd like to know it myself.)  I am relatively certain
that Sametime is the vehicle for low-cost eduction.  Produced BY the
Community, produced FOR the Community.  Cuts into another profit center at
IBM, but then IBM cannot produce enough education, cheap enough.  And they
can't produce education that is highly FOCUSED on what the Community WANTS
TO KNOW (and they're not going to learn much of those things they REALLY
don't want to).  IBM cannot produce this kind of eduction, on their own.
JMNSHO.

5)  This can be easily, quickly, and profitably be accomplished with a
MINIMAL budget (as a NON-profit center.. for the ENTIRE iNation Community).
It benefits the ENTIRE Community, so I don't hesitate to suggest something
that would clearly benefit COMMON.  The ability to produce FOCUSED education
is a service the entire Community can benefit from, and the entire Community
would need to participate to produce this kind of education, besides.

6)  IF (big if) you raised enough money, then see if I put out a follow up
to Leif's post, over on the M-L Non-Tech list.


Fifth...;-)  Thank you for your time.

jt


> -----Original Message-----
> From: consult400-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:consult400-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of jt
> Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 8:18 PM
> To: consult400@midrange.com
> Subject: RE: [Consult400] iSeries Nation and this list
>
>
> <found this in my Drafts folder...  Sheesh...  Sorry, for the delay...>
>
>
> My .02 inline.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: consult400-admin@midrange.com
> > [mailto:consult400-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of
> > jkrueger@andrewscg.com
> > Sent: Wednesday, November 07, 2001 11:14 AM
> > To: consult400@midrange.com
> > Cc: alucas@us.ibm.com
> > Subject: [Consult400] iSeries Nation and this list
> >
> >
> > I've had several chats recently with Anne Lucas, who took over
> the iSeries
> > Nation when Malcom Haines left.  One of things we've discussed is
> > whether there
> > would be any benefit to creating subgroups for the citizens to
> belong to.
>
> Absolutely...!  It appears to be the way to go, IMNSHO.
> >
> > Specifically, are there special things iSeries consultants are
> > looking for from
> > the iSeries Nation?
>
> Yup, more businesses using the iSeries...  Expanding the customer base
> solves a lot of problems the small iSeries consultant has.
>
>
> Are there things we can learn from each
> > other that we don't
> > learn interacting with the community as a whole?
>
> Again, absolutely...!
>
> >
> > Are there any special services or deals IBM could/should offer
> > consultants who
> > are members of the iSeries Nation?
>
> I can't agree more with the suggestions of Booth and Dan.  Provide a means
> for iConsultants to educate themselves.
>
> If you really want to build a broad base of iConsultants, you
> could provide
> two more things:
>
> 2) Leads to customers (and I refer back to the point of expanding the
> install base).  I saw the iSeries Services Network
> (http://www-912.ibm.com/supporthome.nsf/document/19251245).  Based on a
> quick scan, it seems intended to appeal to the large consulting firm and
> large customers.
> 3) Infrastructure.  Give the consultants the infrastructure to educate
> themselves, and develop a network for lead co-ordination.  One or two
> high-end 270's with high-speed Net access should about do the job.
> 3) Software.  Sametime 2.5 (do any day now...!)
> 1) Cheap health insurance.  This may be too "out there"...  But,
> although it
> might be an administrative nightmare, it would remove one of the primary
> obstacles that keeps talented people from trying to going out on
> their own.
>
> >
> > Are there any special services or deals we, as consultants, could
> > offer to other
> > citizens?  And if so, how could IBM support making those available?
> >
> > Lots of questions!
> >
> > Janet Krueger
> > Andrews Consulting Group
> > 507 529 8777 ext 110
> >
> > P.S. Anne has assured me she does have *some* funding, so if we
> > come up with
> > good ideas that would benefit the iSeries Nation, there is a
> > possibility she
> > could help get them implemented...