Re: OS/400 i5/OS -- MIDRANGE-L


Trevor,

It seems to me that most techies in our world are just not willing to lookoutside their small green box. Here are some simple facts:
1) eServer is the BRAND
2) iSeries is the FAMILY
3) i5 is the current generation
4) AS/400 is something that is no longer sold
5) Websphere is a BRAND
6) Websphere Application Server is a Websphere PRODUCT
7) WDSC is a Websphere PRODUCT

If this is so simple, then why are so many people confused? Even the "inthe know" people don't understand that i5 is a generation rather than areplacement for the name "iSeries". Certainly the average end consumerdoesn't.

Yes, technically each of these things has a distinct meaning, and yes, ifyou want to explain what they are, it's possible to explain.


But it's not intuitive.  And that's the point.

And, if we keep whining about it, then our IBM marketing folks might dosomething! Oh WAIT!!! THEY ARE!! It is time to stop whining about it, and getwith the program. If we wish for the industry to consider our platformoutdated technology, then we should keep talking AS/400. If we want ourplatform to flourish, then we should get behind it and promote the new era ofcomputing that iSeries has ushered in...

I agree that people should use the term iSeries. I always do, both incasual conversation, and in the things that I publish.

I dont' see why you're getting so excited, though. Around 30% of iSeriesapplications are still being written and maintained in RPG III! These areold clunky green screen applications like the ones written in the 70's and80's. Another 30% of applications are written in RPG IV, but withoutmodularity, without ILE concepts or an MVC design. They're the samemonolithic 70's and 80's programs that people wrote in RPG III, withslightly different syntax.

Heck, I just read a message on RPG400-L where someone wants to writee-mail validation software in RPG III. To me, that's sort of like buyingan iPod for an Amish person.

As long as our programmers continue to churn out outdated, ugly,1980's-style software, and that's the main base of applications for theiSeries, all of this marketing stuff is going nowhere.

We need to reach the managers running iSeries shops and make it clear tothem that it's time to focus on upgrading their employee's skills, andupdating their software to at least the 1998 level of sophistication, ifnot to 2005.

Only then will we be able to project the newer, more modern, image.Using the new name isn't enough.