RE: Re[2]: Happy Birthday ! -- MIDRANGE-L

I think IBM is taking a different approach to making the AS/400 look as
an expanding product.  Two of the biggest ways they are doing this is by
pushing Java and adding NT to the AS/400.  

Personally, I see it as a "bait and switch" type of marketing.  Java
could be used for most of the development, but would it really be worth
it?  I could see for some order taking software (ie over the net), but
other that that, RPG works just fine.  People will discover this in
time.  And as soon as this coffee craze goes away as well.

NT on the other hand, simply adds a weak link to a great machine.

Bradley V. Stone        
bvstone@taylorcorp.com
http://prairie.lakes.com/~bvstone/
"The semaphore timeout period has expired."

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ericadelong@pmsc.com [SMTP:ericadelong@pmsc.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 23, 1998 2:14 PM
> To:   MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject:      Re[2]: Happy Birthday ! 
> 
> 
>      Lets just hope that extinct doesn't come into the picture. By my
> view, 
>      even though the as400 is ten years old, the architecture that
> defined 
>      the as400 was, and still is, light years ahead of "mainstream" 
>      systems. That the technology has been able to adapt and modernize
> is 
>      notable if not newsworthy. 
>      
>      Why isn't IBM more willing to promote the AS400? As far as my
> boss 
>      here is concerned, the AS400 hasn't changed at all since it was
> called 
>      S/38. The bad perceptions people hold in their mind won't just go
> away 
>      if IBM just ignores this. People need to be informed about WHY
> the 
>      AS400 is superior. What really gets me is hardly anyone want's to
> be 
>      on the bleeding edge of technology. Product maturity and
> stability are 
>      considered paramount when purchasing mission critical 
>      hardware/software systems. Seems the AS400 must be too stable for
> the 
>      industry to handle. 
>      
>      What could anyone do with a machine that can run 24/7 without
> fail for 
>      years, that is fully capable of serving Domino apps and web
> pages. Why 
>      use an as400 with it integrated communications, security, and 
>      management features, that allow the machine to be operated at
> reduced 
>      cost and complexity. Why not just give all your money to B.G. and
> MS 
>      now and let them tell you where you're going today, and
> tomorrow.....
>      
> 
> 
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> Subject: Re: Happy Birthday ! 
> Author:  <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > at INTERNET
> Date:    6/22/98 11:00 PM
> 
> 
> Heard a presentation from an AS/400 executive a couple of weeks ago
> and she 
> emphasized the fact that IBM was intentionally not going to publisize
> the 
> 10th anniversary of the AS/400 ... she said that this strategy was
> because 
> IBM didn't want to give the impression that the AS/400 was OLD ... she
> 
> thanked us all for being such loyal customers and wished us a quiet
> "Happy 
> Birthday" ...  
>      
>      
> At 03:03 PM 6/22/98 -0500, you wrote: 
> >Happy Birthday to you,
> >Happy Birthday to you,
> >Happy Birthday dear dinosaur ...
> >
> >
> >Could it be that that is IBM's true opinion of the AS/400 ? 
> >
> >Well, here it is, one day past the 10th anniversary of the AS/400 
> >announcement, half a million systems shipped,  and where are the 
> >marching bands, the TV ads, the billboards, the big AS/400 hot air 
> >balloons floating across the countryside, the 400 homing pigeons 
> >released from Times Square, the ANYTHING from IBM ?????
> >
> >There's not even a bloody birthday cake with 10 candles at 
> >http://as400.rochester.ibm.com/
> >just a cop looking for id ferchirssakes !  (Well, maybe he's asking
> the 
> >AS/400 for id because it's ONLY 10 years old ?).
> >Try the "What's New" link - nothing.
> >Try the "News and Events" link - nothing.
> >Try the "Recent news items about AS/400" or "AS/400 Press Releases" 
> >links
> >- NOTHING, BUGGER ALL, NOT A SAUSAGE ! 
> >
> >Anyone would think IBM was ASHAMED of the AS/400 and AFRAID to make
> any 
> >noise about the fact it's 10 years old.
> >
> >Now admittedly I haven't checked today's New York Times, Wall Street 
> >Journal or USA Today.  Maybe there's a two line announcement in the 
> >classifieds ?
> >
> >Has anyone seen ANYTHING ?
> >Is anyone else as pi**ed off about this as I am ?
> >Maybe I should just take my medication and take the rest of the day
> off 
> >?
> >
> >Everybody put on your mouse ears and sing, 
> >R-O-C
> >H-E-S
> >T-E-R-M-N
> >
> >Oops - gotta run - the guys in the white jackets are coming down the 
> >hallway....    :-o
> >
> >Neil Palmer                                AS/400~~~~~      
> >NxTrend Technology - Canada   ____________          ___  ~     
> >Thornhill, Ontario,  Canada   |OOOOOOOOOO| ________  o|__||=   
> >Phone: (905) 731-9000  x238   |__________|_|______|_|______)   
> >Cell.: (416) 565-1682  x238    oo      oo   oo  oo   OOOo=o\   
> >Fax:   (905) 731-9202       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
> >mailto:NPalmer@NxTrend.com    AS/400  The Ultimate Business Server
> 
> >http://www.NxTrend.com
> >
> >+---
> >| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
> >| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
> 
> >| To subscribe to this list send email to
> MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
> >| To unsubscribe from this list send email to
> MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com. 
> >| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
> david@midrange.com 
> >+---
> >
> >
>      
> bill gravelle
> 888.700.4921
> +---
> | This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
> | To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com. 
> | To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
> | To unsubscribe from this list send email to
> MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com. 
> | Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
> david@midrange.com 
> +---
>      
> 
> 
> +---
> | This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
> | To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
> | To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
> | To unsubscribe from this list send email to
> MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
> | Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator:
> david@midrange.com
> +---
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To subscribe to this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-SUB@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---