Re: THE GRUMBLING IS OVER!

Larry, exactly how many dollars would it cost to create if not a green-screen 
management tool, at least a status display capable of showing the information 
configured on the PC?  I'm sorry, but the "we're too broke" argument won't wash 
with me.

I've been bitten twice by this concept of requiring a separate machine to 
configure my AS/400 (adminclient and now OpsNav).  Your analogy of a car 
analyzer is an invalid comparison: you need an analyzer because the computers 
on automobiles are dedicated processors without user interfaces.  The AS/400 is 
a general purpose computer and as such should be able to be used to configure 
itself.  In fact, the AS/400 is the only one that I know of that requires a 
separate machine to configure it.

Sure, graphics are good.  But every decision to take away existing function 
(adminclient) or not provide a native interface (OpsNav) for the sake of 
"marketing" is a poor one.  And the "limited resources" argument doesn't wash, 
either.  I'll tell ya what.  Give me the specifications on the API and $25,000 
and I'll write a green-screen IP Filter configuration tool for IBM.  For 
$10,000 I'll write you a nice status display.

And you KNOW that I'm one of the biggest AS/400 supporters out there.  But I 
think that the concept of no green-screen visibility (just visibility, fer 
goshsakes!) for primary operating systems characteristics (and IP Filtering is 
definitely a primary OS characteristic) is utterly indefensible from a 
usability standpoint.  And one of the biggest selling points the AS/400 still 
has (despite seeming attempts otherwise) is that it is a very usable machine.  
Decisions like this thwart that usability.

---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: Larry Bolhuis <lbolhuis@arbsol.com>
Reply-To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2001 12:37:01 -0500

>Leif,

> Does OpsNav run on the AS/400? I thought it ran on a PC.
> How can it be part of OS/400 then?

  Of course OpsNav runs on a PC, it is supplied and licensed as part of
OS/400. It is, however, not an actual part of OS/400 but rather a Tool
used to configure and monitor it.  Much as you cannot tune your BMW M3,
Dodge Viper, or F15 Eagle without using outboard tools, diagnostic
equipment, etc you can no longer tune or configure all of OS/400 without
this tool.

  Don't get me wrong, I am a big green screen user and for nearly any
function available there I can do it faster and more acurately. But we
'keyboard junkies' must realize two truths: 1) To get new users to
OS/400 we need to present them an interface that is current and GUI
(read ops nav) is it. 2) IBM is not made of money and we can have them
either develop dual interfaces for everyting and do Less, or focus on
the current interface and deliver more.

  I don't like it either but I'm flexible enough to deal with it.

  - Larry

-- 
Larry Bolhuis           | Cogito Ergo Vendo iSeries 
Arbor Solutions, Inc.   |
(616) 451-2500          |               (I think, therefore I buy iSeries.)
(616) 451-2571 -fax     |
lbolhuis@arbsol.com     |        #3  1951-2001
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