Re: Changed to: Interactive Tax

Allow me to put the "interactive tax" into perspective.

The 5250 data stream is the most cost effective platform for interactive
programming in the world.  IBM wants everybody to go to client/server
because green screen is boring.  However, there is nothing GUI about
accounts payable, accounts receivable or general ledger.

I have a client that was using an AS/400 model 620 to generate printed
reports, for which traders would execute trades (through another
interface).  They decided to scrap the 400 application, and they set about
a search for the most cost effective programming   Well guess what they
found, the AS/400!

They developed a new set of software which allowed the trades to be
generated through interactive jobs.  They had upgraded the 620 to a 720 for
more horsepower, with an interactive card at 120, and the system collapsed
underneath the interactive load.

They called us in to help determine which interactive card they should go
to (the choices were 240 or 560).  They were concerned about the cost of
the interactive card.  After I determined that this $1M application paid
for itself every four days, they picked the 560 interactive card.

Al

Al Barsa, Jr.
Barsa Consulting Group, LLC

400>390

914-251-1234
914-251-9406 fax

http://www.barsaconsulting.com
http://www.taatool.com






                    "James W. Kilgore"
                    <eMail@James-W-Kilg       To:     midrange-l@midrange.com
                    ore.com>                  cc:
                    Sent by:                  Subject:     Re: Changed to: 
Interactive Tax
                    midrange-l-admin@mi
                    drange.com


                    12/28/01 02:09 PM
                    Please respond to
                    midrange-l






Adam,

The "interactive tax" is a phrase used by folks that don't understand
economics
and how that economics plays into a vendors pricing schedule.

It boils down to a user having two choices:
1) spend money in software development to abandon the 5250 data stream and
change to a client/server model
2) spend money on a "feature" to stay with the 5250 data stream

In either option the user spends money.  With option #2, IBM gets that
money.
Therefore, some consider option #2 a "tax".

What gets some peoples goat is that the 5250 data stream was created for
the
S/3x series of machines and changing to a client/server model will require
more
labor to do the same job that was done with 5250.

More than likely that "client" is going to be a Windows based machine and
we've
been spoiled for so long by the lack of problems with "green screen" 5250
that
we just don't want to go there.  Instead of getting over it and moving on,
some
would rather pout and whine and call the cost of stagnation a "tax".

I've been trying to think of some non computer related story to tell that
might
put it into perspective and the only one that I have personal experience
with is
kind of lame, but here goes:

I used to own three vehicles that required 92->95 octane, with lead, fuel
to
operate.  When the states changed to unleaded fuel I had a choice to make.
Pay
money to convert the engines to run on unleaded fuel -or- every time I
bought a
tank of gas, also buy a lead additive. (or add a little 105 octane airplane
fuel
<g>)

I could have labeled that additive as a "tax" to keep things the way they
always
were.  After all, the additive comes from the same company that sold the
unleaded, and abandoned leaded, fuel.

So each time I bought the additive, I got something more.  I got bitching
rights.  I'm over it now.  I still have one vehicle that used the high
octane
leaded fuel, but I had the engine converted.  Now, instead of bitching, I
just
sigh and remember when.




> | -----Original Message-----
> | From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> | [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Adam Lang
> | Sent: Friday, December 28, 2001 11:12 AM
> | To: midrange-l@midrange.com
> | Subject: Re: Changed to: Interactive Tax
> |
> |
> | Can someone just give me a quick synopsis of this Interactive Tax
always
> | being brought up?
> |
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