Re: FW: OS/400 upgrades for CISC -- MIDRANGE-L

Dave,

In a message dated 97-04-19 19:50:58 EDT, you write:

> You seem to be very sure CISC is dead.  I am curious, as to how many
>  CISC is out there vs RISC.  Anybody have these numbers?

I thought that you'd been around longer than that!  Like I said, I don't
agree with it, but the numbers are inconsequential!  How many AS/400's were
installed in 1988 compared with S/36 and S/38 systems?  It DOESN'T MATTER!
 The RISC system is where IBM is going, and Superman himself cannot stop this
train.

If sheer numbers mattered, there wouldn't even be any discussion of the
possiblility of a V3R3.  It would just happen.  IBM did have the dignity to
come out with a version 6 of SSP for the S/36 when the AS/400 was announced,
but its primary feature was call/parm which most /36 shops didn't need.  I
feel that V3R2 is the (superior) equivalent of SSP release 6.  You've got the
POP3 mail client, Y2K compliance, as well as the internet-enabled DDS, and
that's about all that can be expected.  If you don't want to spend the money
to upgrade to RISC, what the heck would you want the other features for?

I don't like playing "devil's advocate".  But, Lord knows, I've spent enough
time dealing with clients that wanted to do certain things without giving up
their /36 that I'm DARNED TIRED of it.  If you want the latest technology, BY
GOLLY buy the latest hardware.  If you want to stay back, be prepared to pay
a premium for integrating new stuff into it.  It's just that simple.  New
hardware = shorter time-to-market - greater reliability - more available
support, old hardware = LONGER-time-to-market - decreased reliability - less
support.

I now have a client that, rather than dealing with their Y2K issues, has gone
to an "Advanced/36" because it was available (and cheaper than their 5363).
 Despite my warnings, they STILL insist that they will "go to something else"
before they need Y2K compliance.  This same company has been installing an
HP/9000 for the last FIVE years to no avail.

It appears to me that CISC'ers are now going to break into two groups as
well.  Those that wait for IBM to take care of them, and those that remain
current.  Which group will you be in?

Regards,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@AOL.COM

"Always take a job that is too big for you." -- Harry Emerson Fosdick
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