New OS & old H/w

Hi there,

I am looking at upgrading quite a few customers to V5R1M0. Amongst other
things, here is one item on the IBM site:

1/4-INCH CARTRIDGE TAPE, April 2001:
                                  V5R1 is the final release of OS/400
which will support the #6385/#6485 1/4-Inch Cartridge Tape Unit
features. iSeries and AS/400
                                  customers using the #6385/#6485
1/4-Inch Cartridge Tape Units can order a feature conversion from
6385/6485 to one of the following
                                  three alternatives:

                                        - 16GB (4483 / 4583 / 6383 /
6483) 1/4-Inch Cartridge Tape Unit
                                        - 25GB (4486 / 4586 / 6386 /
6486) 1/4-Inch Cartridge Tape Unit
                                        - 50GB (4487 / 4587) 1/4-Inch
Cartridge Tape Unit

I have quite a number of customers still running the 6385. Hell, it
seems like IBM is going to make a wee out of this too. Pity there aren't
things like OEM drivers on the 400/Series :-).  Will the Model 150 run
beyond V5R1M0 into V5R2M0? If so, with what do I replace my QIC2GB-DC
with? I do not have access to the configurator, so am unable to
determine what it would be.

A number of the customers are taking (what I perceive to be) the S/36
approach: "The hardware and software I am on is doing just fine for me.
Why must I upgrade OS to be penalized on h/w? Why must I upgrade h/w
just to be penalized on s/w? " I think that many of them are suffering
from technology fatigue. They have been paying for upgrades on either
side (h/w vs.s/w) for the past years and all that has given them is
faster processing power and afforded them the ability to stuff up
quicker in certain areas.

Admittedly, they have not had things implemented on their sites like
e-commerce (from the iSeries, that is). Then again, many say that they
don't need it. Got one customer to implement web-based oredering. Hell,
he received 5 online orders per week! I often sit back and question
myself whether I am trying to implement first world technology in a
third-world country. Then I realise that most of the companies I am
dealing with are actually local chapters of American/British companies.
Then I ask myself whether I am using a third world approach? How could
I, when I am gleaning/harvesting information from forums such as this?
It all comes down to the cost of product versus the delivarables. In
many ways the web-enabling of a customer's environment is not a
solution. It was not a problem to begin with. It is the
perceived/promised/expected return on investment that provides you with
the opportunity to sell. If you cannot convince the customer, you have
no sale.

Please reply to this. I would love to hear your opinions (pleasant,
forthright, crude or otherwise)   :-).

Jan Megannon.