× The internal search function is temporarily non-functional. The current search engine is no longer viable and we are researching alternatives.
As a stop gap measure, we are using Google's custom search engine service.
If you know of an easy to use, open source, search engine ... please contact support@midrange.com.


  1.  Home
  2. MIDRANGE-L
  3. December 2006

Re: Saving the System i: Fight Rather Than Switch

Mark,
The faithful have said that IBM has been missing for a long time. We can assume that it is hard to get IBM to do what "we" want. So, let's do something ourselves. Stepping up is contributing - to iSociety, for an example. Angus (www.angustheitchap.com) is my example of stepping up. And you, too, can contribute. Send me something for the marketing site (www.i4everyone.com).
As for the name, IBM sells System i - currently, System i5 servers. We do not have a choice on the name - it is chosen by the vendor. If we do NOT use the same vernacular as IBM, we will soon be out of date and obsolete - vernacular will give you away as a dinosaur - vernacular is everything. 

Trevor
----- Original Message ----- From: "M. Lazarus" <mlazarus@xxxxxxxx> 
To: "Midrange Systems Technical Discussion" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 11:05 PM
Subject: Re: Saving the System i: Fight Rather Than Switch



Trevor,

 I think that we can all agree that the Midrange faithful have been
trying to get the word out for 15+ years.  What's missing from the
marketing equation is IBM.  If IBM can't step up the plate and show
the world that they are proud of this system, then how are we to be
expected to overcome it?

 You say "step up" - what do you propose?  That we take up a
collection to tell the world the new name and how great the system
is?  Yeah, we whine about what IBM should be doing, because we're the
guys in the field and IBM IS NOT LISTENING TO US!!!

 I have no problem calling the system by any name that gets the
point across.  But, to think that that is the root cause, or even a
major cause of the failure to market this box, is to delude ourselves.

 I must disagree about "Vernacular is everything."  As I mentioned
before, if the major modernization gaps have  not been filled, then
we can call it by any name, past present or futuristic and it
wouldn't make one bit of difference.

 -mark


At 12/8/06 12:41 PM, you wrote:

Mark,
What you are referring to - about age and 70s/80s - is OS/400. That has been 
renamed to i5/OS. BUT - it is only a small part of what a System i can do.
The pillars of a System i include i5/OS (which has more
feature/functionality than OS/400), Linux 64-bit native, AIX 5L, Windows and 
Linux with ix integration.
It IS our responsibility for getting the word out. If we are going to have a 
future with this server, we are responsible to market this incredible
platform to everyone. We have left it to IBM for a long time, we have whined about what they have done - and if you want it to have a future, step up. As 
has been mentioned, iSociety is a means to that end.

Or, we can call it an AS/400 and remain a dinosaur. Your personal choice.
On my behalf, I am doing everything I can to promote the brand - which, btw, 
is System i. Changing the name is not the ONLY thing we must do in our
head - but it is a VERY SIMPLE thing to change. Vernacular is everything.

Trevor

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

This thread ...
Follow-Ups:
Replies:
Follow On AppleNews
Return to Archive home page | Return to MIDRANGE.COM home page

This mailing list archive is Copyright 1997-2024 by midrange.com and David Gibbs as a compilation work. Use of the archive is restricted to research of a business or technical nature. Any other uses are prohibited. Full details are available on our policy page. If you have questions about this, please contact [javascript protected email address].

Operating expenses for this site are earned using the Amazon Associate program and Google Adsense.