Re: More bitching about IBM (was More SQL precompiler)

> From: "John Taylor"
> I know you write middleware, but do you write new applications
> - as opposed to maintenance and enhancements of existing apps?
> If so, are these for resale, or are they in house projects?

Although in the past 2 years my focus has been programmer tools, prior to
that it was software to handle credit union operations.  Approximately 20
new clients purchased a new AS/400 and our full-featured credit union
management software annually.

In my new enterprise, the people who buy my tools are developing new
e-business applications, either for use internally, or for their customers.

> I happen to have the February 2002 issue of iSeries News
> sitting on my desk right now. Of the dozens of ads in the magazine,
> only three are for business applications, and they're found at the
> very back of the magazine. The rest are hawking middleware and
> utilities. I'm sure you're aware that utilities don't sell new AS/400's.

If you sell software to credit unions, or video rental stores, or casinos,
or apparel manufacturing plants, you'll probably get a better return by
advertising in a publication specific to your audience.  iSeries News is
geared more to developers and IT operations.

> Where are the new products, and the new customers? That's
> what I meant by milking the installed base.

I honestly don't know who is buying new iSeries systems now.  I hear it's
mostly people who already own one, and want to upgrade.

Nathan M. Andelin
www.relational-data.com