RE: An article illustrating the iSeries image problem

I don't think HSA will necessarily fare poorly.  Folks run successful,
stable Oracle-based systems all the time.  There are a lots of iSeries to
Oracle success stories.  HSA, seems to have done their homework.  Partnering
with Mastek suggests that HSA might have put some effort into doing things
right, rather than trying to migrate to a completely foreign environment on
their own.

It seems to me that this is the point of the article:

"So instead HSA has taken the unusual approach of working with Indian
software company Mastek to add capabilities to the vendor's existing
packaged software. HSA then purchased the intellectual property rights to
use and alter the bespoke system as if it had done the development itself."

Instead of fleshing out the idea the writer then wandered off-topic to make
ill-conceived statements about the platform.

-Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Colin Williams
Sent: Friday, June 24, 2005 11:32 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: RE: An article illustrating the iSeries image problem

Jim,

What would be good is if the same journalist went back to the same site
in 1-2 years to see how HSA got on. That would make interesting reading!

Cheers
Colin.W



-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Damato
Sent: 24 June 2005 17:01
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: An article illustrating the iSeries image problem


I think a lot of the idiocy is on the part of the Silicon.com site and
the reporter.  It's likely that HSA's change of strategy and platform
was a more involved decision.  It's pointless to try to dumb down such a
decision to a single sentence, and yet these "industry analysts" do it
all the time.  When he says "especially with the internet becoming more
important" it's not real clear whether he's paraphrasing someone at HSA
or clarifying HSA's statement with his own vast knowledge of technology.

I'm almost amused at the stupidity of such statements as "...each of its
developers is going through 54 days of technical training to get from AS
400 to Java and Oracle".  So, the developers are switching from a
computer to a programming language and a database?

Any time I read from a trade publication or one of these online
technology resources I have to wonder about the experience and expertise
of the so-called technology editorialist.  For every well-read, seasoned
IT professional publishing as a sideline there's got a be a couple dozen
gee-whiz journalism majors reporting phonetically on technology or based
on anecdotes and editors' directions rather than actual education and
experience.  Silicon.com is part of CNET networks -- home of John C.
Dvorak. How many times has that guy reported miles outside his scope of
understanding?

and yet folks read this crap and take it at face value...

James P. Damato
Manager - Systems Administration
Dollar General Corporation
<mailto:jdamato@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>