Re: No giving up on System i -- MIDRANGE-L

Peter,

This is a fantastic find. I cannot see the i5 or System i5 names anywhere on
the latest IBM System i web site. Has IBM been sneaky and changed the name
again?? In the last 6 months, I have been working on software, and had
little to do with hardware configurations, etc. So, this ~change~ has snuck
by me. I am investigating, and will return with any information I can
gather.

For me, I found it easy to break it down to System i as the brand, and
System i5, iSeries and AS/400 as the servers in that family. This was how it
was when System i was first announced, and it was the most logical way to
view it. If this is not the case any more, then of course, we have just been
confused by the mothership one more time.

As for System i Network, they probably have not updated their questionnaire.
With lots of the press and vendors being confused by the name/brand/server
with which to reference our platform, this is what happens.

And yes, this is another reason why we should focus more on the i5/OS name.
Since early this year, I noticed that subtle switch by IBMers. It feels less
confusing, and the only whine about it is the '5' in the name.

And yes, IBM does control the websites, manuals, OS, etc. A couple of weeks
ago, I sent two images to Mark Shearer of i5/OS where it says 400 and
iSeries. I cannot say he was already aware of this i5/OS issue, but he knows
now.

I will be back shortly.
Trevor

On 9/26/07 4:52 PM, "Peter Dow (ML)" <maillist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Trevor,

I realize you're really trying to help the System i community, and
perhaps for that reason it's better that you don't express any
understanding of why people can't keep up with the current name of our
favorite machine. Your rant about there being websites, manuals, etc
that refer to the old name but "IBM - the company - has branded the
platform System i, and sells System i5 servers." may be true, but IBM
the company controls the websites and the manuals.

If I go to www.ibm.com, select "Systems and Servers" from the Product
drop down menu, I see "System i (iSeries)", then the Hardware link on
the left and on the "System i" tab, I see

IBM System i® 515 Express
IBM System i® 525 Express
IBM System i® 520 Express
IBM System i® 520
IBM System i® 550
etc.

(actually the ® is a TM for trademark, but my email client doesn't have
it readily available).

What I don't see is any reference to a "System i5 server". Where did
you get that? Is there some official IBM website that tells us what the
name is? Even if it isn't the name they're using to sell it on their
main website? You really need to work on them first -- once they're
consistent I think the community at large will have no problem with it.

I just had to re-register over at systeminetwork.com, and question #7 on
their registration form asks if your company is planning to buy a

NEW i5 520
NEW i5 550
NEW i5 570
NEW i5 595
NEW iSeries Model 270
NEW iSeries Model 810
NEW iSeries Model 820
NEW iSeries Model 825
NEW iSeries Model 830
NEW iSeries Model 840
NEW iSeries Model 870
NEW iSeries Model 890
NEW AS/400 (any model)

Besides not listing "System i5 server" anywhere, they don't have an
entry for "None". I emailed the webmaster.

I think more emphasis on the OS is the way to go. After all, it's job
is to handle the hardware so we don't have to -- CISC, RISC, PowerPC --
who cares as long as the OS provides us with the great and expanding
capabilities we've been using over the years? Except maybe those of us
who'd like cheaper hardware...

Btw, when did OS/400 become i5/OS? Is the AS400 model 170 sitting under
my table running v5r2 running i5/OS or OS/400? And is it an AS400, an
iSeries or a "System i5 server" model 170?

I understand that it's a System i (even though when it was manufactured
it was some other family), a model 170 (that's what DSPSYSVAL QMODEL
tells me), or a 9406-170 (as shown by DSPHDWRSC), and it has a processor
feature of 2291 (DSPSYSVAL QPRCFEAT) and it's running (per DSPSFWRSC):

Resource
ID Option Feature Description
5722999 *BASE 5050 Licensed Internal Code
5722SS1 *BASE 5050 Operating System/400
5722SS1 *BASE 2924 Operating System/400

at V5R2M0 L00. And hey! on my customer's 9406-520 it's the same thing,
but V5R3M0 L00.

Is it lying? Are we really running i5/OS? Do you see that the solution
to this problem has to start with IBM? Marketing is all very nice, but
if I buy a Ford Mustang and tomorrow they call it a Ford Pony but the
car still comes out with "Mustang" all over it, why should I call it a Pony?

Sorry, I got a little carried away after seeing that System i Network
dropdown...

*Peter Dow* /
Dow Software Services, Inc.
909 793-9050
pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:pdow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> /

Trevor Perry wrote:

Thanks Alan!

What blows my mind is that we have talked about this over and over on forum
after forum, but the concept of a brand name of System i just does not
stick.

FWIW, IBM does NOT call it an eServer. IBM does NOT call it an iSeries or an
AS/400. There are IBMers who call it those names. There are IBM websites
with the old names. There are IBM manuals with the old names. There are
members of the System i community refer to it by all those names. There is a
lot of press who call it by those names. There are vendors who call it by
the old names. But, IBM - the company - has branded the platform System i,
and sells System i5 servers.

And it pains me to hear people say "or whatever name it is this week". If
you cannot spend a few minutes learning the brand name, are you really that
passionate about the platform? Or, do you wish to continue to ADD to the
confusion. For everyone who continues to call it an AS/400, a fairy loses
its wings... er.. different story! For everyone who calls it an AS/400,
there is one more nail in the coffin of the System i.

<SNIP>