Re: You're all REALLY missing the point (Was: NOTICE to IBM: You're all missi...

Money first! But, without customers where will the money come from? I am
not suggesting for a minute that we all become humanitarians; I am
simply suggesting that in our industry, given the climate, it might
benefit us to put the cart before the horse as it were. 

I am dead certain that if IBM thought there was a higher profit margin
to be had from the midrange platform we would see much more innovation
and better marketing. If IBM is the cart, and the customers are the
horse then given enough incentive the horse could push the cart up a
hill. So what is that incentive; it is painfully obvious that customers
couldn't careless about stability. What is available in abundance on
other platforms which is absent on the AS/400? 

The customers outcries can be a powerful force. A large group of
customers come to IBM and say, "IBM what we really really want is a rack
mount netfinity server that takes up only 2 RU's". The next thing you
know IBM produces a rack mount netfinity server that takes up only 2
RU's. Now the question is how do the customers get their point across to
IBM? Do they write letters, rant and rave, scream and cry, threaten to
jump ship? NO, the simple fact is that IBM must watch the market, since
it is obvious they no longer choose to lead, in order to guage the
customers needs and wants.

So, lets say a group of customers say to IBM, "We want lower cost
solutions for the AS/400". Since it is obvious that this group of
customers can't demand this from IBM and expect a reply from IBM - other
than a hearty belly laugh - how does this group of customers show IBM
what it wants and needs? Currently, there is no way for this group of
customers to sway IBM effectively. I guess you could say that the grass
is not high enough for IBM to see which way the wind is blowing. 

So, what are customers screaming for on other platforms? Openness?
Free-stuff? 

Forgive the brain dump.

> One question.  Is it PC to worry about money before the customer?  Or is it
> "for our own good" because once the money rolls in, then they can support
> the customer better?  Sounds like the approach of "tax and we'll get more
> money for the government" intead of lowering taxes, therefore people spend
> more and you get more tax money that way.



--
L. S. Russell Programmer/Analyst
Datrek Professional Bags, Inc.
2413 Industrial Drive
Springfield, TN. 37172
mailto:leslier@datrek.com
http://www.datrek.com
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