Re: "State of the Midrange" by Don Rima

"See this article by Don Rima.  Please note that Don wrote this on his own,

> and I had nothing to do with it's creation.  This is not to imply that I
> disagree with him.
>
> http://www.wash-midrange.org/StateoftheMidrange.htm

This is powerful stuff and it needs to be said, even if, in the process, it may
not have done much good to the confidence of some AS/400 users who were
listening.

I remember thinking when, in 1988, IBM launched the AS/400, "with this IBM will
conquer the world".  I know that that was not the last time that I was totally
wrong, but it is entirely IBM's fault (the Corporation - not Rochester) that 
they
did not conquer.  Despite the vast numbers of  NT & other boxes out there today
(and there was no NT, etc. in 1988), IBM could still conquer the world although
it would be dramatically more difficult today than in 1988.

Basically they have the product to do it - it may need a few features.  It
certainly needs to be much more competitive at the lower end of the market. This
is a problem that IBM could solve in an instant if they wished.  How many 
"AS/400
thinkpads" such as Frank Soltis has mentioned would they sell - more than the
total installed base of AS/400's today?  It wouldn't surprise me.  Such a 
machine
would spread the word about the AS/400 - it would not need high level budget
approval for purchase and people who are not used to the AS/400 could learn and
show their bosses what it could do.

So often IBM has good ideas and then, in my view, screws them up.  For instance
why on the new machines do you have to pay a fortune to continue using your old
5250's ?  IBM seems to be so concerned about not "giving away" something.  The
result will surely be that users who want 5250 will hang on as long as they can
to their existing boxes.  Surely this stupidity is a serious inhibitor to people
upgrading.  They will resent IBM charging them a lot more to continue to use the
terminals that IBM sold them in the past.  MS must love it - IBM saying that the
cheapest way to use your AS/400 is to use a PC with a MS OS on it.

The trouble is that in exchanges like this on this and other forums, we are all
preaching to the converted.  Don's broadside may reach some of the right people
in IBM (Al  has forwarded it), but will one person's view change anything?  I
doubt it.

Will changing the name of the AS/400 if it happens change anything?  I doubt it.

If IBM cannot tell the world what a superb platform the AS/400 is, how will they
be able to tell the world that the I/500 (or whatever) is a superb platform?

These exchanges on this and other lists are amusing but they are time consuming
and I don't believe that they change anything.

Perhaps we should take some action - all write to Lou direct or even better all
subscribers to this and other lists should turn up at an agreed time at Lou's
office with the media in tow.  That would increase the number of people who had
heard of the AS/400 if nothing else.

I have no influence or contact with IBM.  But others on this list do.  Can they
put themselves forward and act as our spokespersons (if they are willing) and go
as a delegation on our behalf to see top level IBM management (Lou if possible)?

Even those of us who are AS/400 bigots may feel that if IBM continually works
against the interests of our employers (and so against our own interests as
AS/400 people) we may get to the stage where we feel obliged to recommend to our
employers that they drop the AS/400.  Since IBM seems to make few new sales, the
AS/400 would then die.  Which of us wants to be working for the last company to
scrap its AS/400 (or I/500)?


Rob Dixon
________________________________________________________

Erros plc

44 (0) 1844 239 339

http://www.erros.co.uk - The AS/400 Neural Database for the Internet

_________________________________________________________


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