Re: iSeries ads taken over by xSeries

On 1/17/06, fbocch2595@xxxxxxx <fbocch2595@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> That's crazy, but it's the typical comment I hear.
>
> The president of the last company I consulted at told me simply...that AS400 
> is a legacy system and all senior officers of the company view it as such!
>
> Ugh!

<RANT>
The president is of that company is correct, the AS/400 is a legacy
system.  On the software side, the old RPG4, green-screen-only
packages (including the one my company uses) are also legacy systems. 
And the derision likely in is this man's voice when he said it was
proper.  A "legacy" system properly refers to an old, stagnent system
that is unprepared for and not flexible enough to deal with current
business practices.

However, the iSeries / i5 is NOT a legacy system, nor are the current
RPGLE/Java software systems with flexible interfaces and modern
programming practices.

The terms we use are important, and perpetuate an image.  As long as
we keep calling the system an "AS/400",  we are perpetuating an image
of it as a 15+ year old platform that really needs replacing.

We need to aggressively promote the image of evolution, flexibility
and growth internally.  Somehow WE got stuck on AS/400; which is funny
because we got off of S/38 pretty quickly.  I think it was because IBM
insisted on keeping the OS named as OS400.

Four years ago I upgraded from an AS/400 to in iSeries.  Last fall I
upgraded from an iSeries to an i5.  The executives know it, and know
that the hardware platform is advanced, can support a modern software
system when we choose to go to one.

When we upgrade, we need to start using the new name for the system,
and we need to start using the new features.  Shame on us if we aren't
using ILE, SQL, WDSc and at least some web programming of one flavor
or another.  It isn't just about our own skillset and career, it is
also about making sure that management and decision makers know that
the platform is evolving and can support modern business.
</RANT>

--
Tom Jedrzejewicz
tomjedrz@xxxxxxxxx