Re: CL enhancements

** Reply to note from Mark Lazarus <mlazarus@ttec.com> Wed, 25 Feb 1998 00:20:24
> >I don't think IBM is in a position to try and win customers on technical
> >merit. 
>   
>  Why not?

Because the market is demonstrating to IBM that technical merit is not what
makes or breaks their buying decisions.

> >Improving the infrastructure of the AS/400 will probably not make
> >them an additional dime. 
>   
>  That's what will make them the most!!!! 

In what fashion? Will some buyer someplace say, "Hey, CL now processes
multiple files! Throw out those NT plans, we need a 640!" I think not.

>  You seem to think that we got OS/400 for free.  You also must be getting
> upgrades for free.  Otherwise the above paragraph doesn't make much sense...

Quite wrong. I know darn well that we did not get OS/400 for free. However,
we do get upgrades for free within a version. 

If you read my previous posts, I suggested that it might be possible that
one way to make the proposal for IBM to enhance CL more attractive by
requesting the enhancements be only for new versions. But that isn't what
is being requested here.

>  How's this for practical:  I'm currently working w/ a multi-Billion (w/ a
> "B"!) dollar company that is dumping about 14 AS/400s, the smallest an F70,
> the largest the high-end 320.  I'm estimating about $25 million worth of
> equipment.  Why?  Part of the reason is due to IBM's lack of responsiveness
> to some the EVERYDAY challenges we face.  CASE CLOSED!!

Yes, CASE CLOSED. Thank you for making my point. After all, did your
company find a business machine that is better suited to business
processing than the AS/400? Better technological solution? More reliable?
No, because there isn't one. Instead, you have witnessed a company decision
made without considering the technical merit of the involved machines and
you turn right around and say that technical merit is what makes the most
difference.

>  -mark
 

Chris Rehm
Mr.AS400@ibm.net

How often can you afford to be unexpectedly out of business?
Get an AS/400.
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