re: CISC upgrades

Dave Shaw said:

>If you're really concerned that a large portion of the 300,000 machine
>installed base (NOT the 800,000 number that's been floating in this
thread)
>is likely to jump to something else, you need to look at what the _real_
>rate of IBM abandonment by S/36 and S/38 customers has been - I believe
the
>figure is actually less than 25 percent, quite small compared to what some
>other vendors have experienced during product transitions.  Indeed, the
>losses of /38 accounts have been quite a bit less than /36 accounts, and 
>since the CISC to RISC transition is no more difficult, and actually
quite a
>bit less expensive, than the /38 to /400 transition, I would expect the
>losses to be more comparable to that than the /36 to /400 transition.

In fairness, the 800,000 number was simply David trying to make a point.
He simply wanted to give an example of why he felt knowing how many RISC
machines were out there was important. He did so by saying "800,000 vs.
200,000" and that has been echoed a little. 

I know that IBM highly publicized the 400,000th machine shipped to the
bicyclist guy and I think the current number is closer to 500,000 shipped
machines with 300,000 customers.

>Just my $0.02, take it for what it's worth.

>Dave Shaw in Greenville, SC


Chris Rehm             | You have to ask yourself, "How
Mr.AS400@ibm.net       | often can I afford to be unexpectedly 
                       | out of business?" 
Get Warped or Get Bent!| Then get an AS/400.
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