RE: i NATION ListServer Confusion/ownership

>   A few years ago on this list, when I talked about the need to do 
>things like learn Java, I collected an esock full of emails about how it 
>was just the "flavor of the week" and we should just "wait and see" etc. 
>This is the nature of the AS/400 installed base.
>   See, the same thing that makes a guy wait a year to permanently 
>install his PTFs is the opposite of what has been expanding in the
industry.

Agreed.  I think that a vocal few iCitizens (how long can I keep up this
iStuff?) with genuine ideas can help guide (goad?) IBM into doing the right
thing.

I have already used the Feedback link to request the names and addresses of
the official IBM marketing people.  I think a few letters (ink & paper) with
marketing ideas would be helpful.  It's good to discuss things among
ourselves, but how much better will the results be if we let the responsible
IBMers hear us?

There are one or two people who've carried the message to official IBM and
it's up to us to help out.

There are two major efforts that I think can be addressed:
1) Actual solutions.  The recent discussion about user written commands is a
case in point.  Does IBM know that there's a need to customise their
commands?  How about examples of how to do it?  Several people gave some
good ideas.  Will any of them percolate back to the list in finished form?
To the FAQ?  If official IBM host a web site to share source, it'll go a
LONG way to promoting OS/400.  Look at how quickly the open source movement
has bolstered Linux!

2) Marketing.  Who is a good target for advertising monies?  What age?
Occupation?  What do they want to hear?  Let's tell them!

If we boot ideas around here or over at Ignite's list, we should then use
the Feedback at iNation and TELL IBM.  They say that they're listening -
let's overwhelm them with real ideas!

Buck 
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