Update from WABUG (Western Area BPCS User Group) Meeting

Just a little note regarding the recent meetings we had this week.

Bill Stuek's presentation was low key, but did contain what I would hope was an
"honest" positive outlook for SSA.  Very little new information from what was 
shared
from the last presentation he made what was mentioned on this list.  (BTW, in 
one of
the sessions I made the pitch for people to check out midrange.com and sign up 
for
this list.  I hope it comes to fruition).

The interesting part came when Bob Markese gave his presentation.  He suggested 
that
if anyone was not happy with the Help line they contact Sieg Stahl personally 
and
request a resolution.  Since Bob made this person's name very public, I think 
that
everyone should know about Sieg.  Bob's feeling was that Helpline has improved 
since
he recently heard from 7 customers that it had done just that!

I personally chuckled as Bob boasted that they were aggressively cutting costs 
and
"frivolous" expenditures.  He pointed out the discontinuation of the San 
Francisco
Offices.  Of course he was saying these things from the podium of the Ritz 
Carlton
Laguna Beach where the rooms were $240 a night and I had to re-mortgage my 
house to
buy a drink.

I followed up someone else's comment regarding the CD product, that if they drop
support for it in 2002 and do not also enhance the capabilities of this 
offering that
they will lose customers.  Bob in his most eloquent manner said "NO WE WON'T.  I
refuse to believe that anyone will leave!"  He also added that he refuses to 
develop
the product along the two lines, the hidden -and not so hidden - message 
remains, "We
are giving you CD only so you can later go to V6".

I was commended by numerous people after the opening session about speaking up
regarding this issue.  In talking with an SSA employee later, who had not heard 
this
exchange, it was confided in me that "they" can't get through to the head guys 
that
people just don't want to go to V6.  I had also recounted to this person the 
lack of
value I received from the conference due to it's overwhelming focus on V6, I was
interested in CD - V6 just doesn't apply here.

So, if anyone would like to pass this note onto Bill or Bob here is my feelings 
on
the V6 scenario and I would guess it is other's as well.  I WILL NEVER GO TO V6 
AS
LONG AS IT IS WRITTEN PARALLEL TO UNIX CODE.  This was the downfall to the
organization and the product and you now have two poorly performing product 
lines:
AS/400 and UNIX.  You need to immediately change the way you write AS/400 code. 
 The
code needs to be written to DB2/400 and RPG's strengths and not the common
denominator.

I welcome your comments.

Bill

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