re[2]: MAPICS and COMMON

[Lisa Weaver <lweaver@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am a consultant with Guide, a Mapics affiliate. I am trying to sell nothing.  
I've been following the discussions about User Conference vs COMMON.  I must 
disagree with some of the statements about the Mapics User Conference being 
designed soley as a "Sales" conference.  There are 3 full days of break-out 
sessions available to attendees.  Never, as a user or as a consultant, have I 
been disappointed that I didn't learn something.  In fact, the information I've 
obtained there over the years has more than paid for the cost of the 
conferences and all my expenses.  This past year, I happened to be a presenter 
for one of those sessions...I didn't even talk about MAPICS.  There are usually 
between 1500 and 2000 attendees...most users.  It is a huge opportunity to 
network with other users.  I'm sure that COMMON is very good.  I'm also 
POSITIVE that there are people at COMMON trying to sell you something.

Lisa Cohen Weaver
Consultant Manager
Guide Technologies, L.L.C.
6502 Constitution Drive
Fort Wayne, IN  46804
219-459-7641
Fax 219-459-2127
lweaver@guidetechnologies.com

> I agree with Eric.    MAPICS conference is a Sales conference designed to
get you to buy more Apps.   Save your money and attend COMMON.

Greg Wenzloff


-----Original Message-----
From: DaleGindlesperger@fft-inc.com
[mailto:DaleGindlesperger@fft-inc.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 18, 2001 1:58 PM
To: mapics-l@midrange.com
Subject: Re: MAPICS and COMMON



Eric,

I have to disagree a little regarding MAPICS being just a sales show - I
attend several "customer solutions" sessions each year, and have given a
couple.  I agree, the customer solutions are usually excellent - it is
always good to see how people use the software to solve problems and how
they may have implemented the apps in a (perhaps) unusual or different way.
Yes, there are "sales sessions" to show the new stuff (which there has been
a whole lot of lately!), but I find them necessary to see what all we can
do with the new stuff - especially the new "Power Architecture" stuff.
Without the sales sessions at the conference, I don't know how I'd get
enough good information on the new apps and features.

I personally find the tech expo at the conferences to be VERY valuable.
Last year's was the best yet - I liked that they expanded the hours from
prior years.  However, I'd like to have it open even more, especially the
area where you can talk to the MAPICS developers/support people and try out
the new apps at the kiosks.  Is that what you mean by needing more "hands
on?"

I'd like them to have some roundtables with users also - for things like
their e-business strategies, effectively implementing some of the Browser
apps, Supply Chain Management, etc.  Then we could get multiple company's
solutions in one session.






                    "Eric Wolf"
                    <eric_a_wolf@hotm        To:     mapics-l@midrange.com
                    ail.com>                 cc:
                    Sent by:                 Subject:     MAPICS and COMMON
                    mapics-l-admin@mi
                    drange.com


                    08/18/01 01:25 PM
                    Please respond to
                    mapics-l






Gail,

I think that COMMON and the MAPICS conferences serve different purposes.
COMMON gives IT departments the opportunity to keep up-to-date with the IBM
technologies, as well as, other technologies.

The MAPICS Conference, on the other hand,introduces users to new
applications, how other users are using MAPICS and 3rd party enhancements
that they may not be aware of. What the MAPICS conference does not offer is
"hands-on" sessions like they did in the past. It has become more of a
"sales" conference instead of the User Conference.  They also need more
users to speak on how they solved their problems using MAPICS.

Eric A. Wolf
Midrange Implementation Specialists
eric_a_wolf@hotmail.com  -or- ericw@midrangespecialists.com



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