Re: Update from WABUG (Western Area BPCS User Group) Meeting

Chris !

And if they no longer want your support dollars, I would look to Nexgen for 
that - 6 weeks
ago, I got a mailing from them AGGRESIVELY recruiting all existing SSA 
customers that were
NOT going to V6 to turn to them for support. That is QUITE a statement in 
itself that a
company would make an investment like that (and a MAJOR indictment of SSA's 
help offering
that generally tells you to "upgrade" to "fix" your problems...)

Chuck

Chris Devous wrote:

> Date sent:              Wed, 12 Aug 1998 11:23:28 +0100
> From:                   Bill Robins <brobins@ix.netcom.com>
>
> [snip]
>
> >
> > 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.
> >
>
> [snip]
>
> SSA's continued focus on V6 does not seem to be warranted.  I would consider
> an upgrade only if there were signifigant benefit to the business, and no one
> has convinced me that there is.  From lurking in this list, I would say that 
>the
> constant problem reports coupled with SSA's own statements regarding their
> development methods constitute a signifigant de-incentive to "upgrade".
>
> My position at this time is that if SSA wants me to upgrade, they need to give
> me a very good reason to go through the pain, and they have not done so.  I
> would be happy to present them with the opportunity.
>
> At this point, I think it likely that I will go custom.  The report quoted 
>above
> indicates that SSA no longer wants my support dollars, they would much rather
> have my upgrade dollars.  Since they give me no compelling reason to
> upgrade, then they will get no dollars.
>
> Comments?
> ---------------------------
> Christopher J. Devous
> Director of Systems Development
> The Antigua Group, Inc.
> cdevous@antigua.com
> http://www.antigua.com
> ----------------------------
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