Re: MIDRANGE-L Digest V4 #681 -- MIDRANGE-L

In a message dated 6/29/2001 10:10:27 AM Pacific Daylight Time, "Chris Rehm" 
javadisciple@earthlink.net> writes:

>      The AS/400 had (and maybe still has) more applications available for it
>  than any other server running. It is bulletproof and versatile. It's cost
> of ownership is lower than any of its competition. But if what is selling is
>  the flashy, GUI apps, then that is where the market is going.

Very true.

>  The death of the AS/400 is being heralded by those who depend on it
> most.  AS/400 shops won't do anything new! IBM has tried everything under 
the
>  sun to save this machine, but AS/400 shops are killing it. There are a host
>  of VisualAge products, all of which will develop GUI applications to access
>  data on AS/400s, are they in use? When you pick up WAS and develop a
>  website using your 400, you know you are in the minority for web site 
> development, but how much in the minority are you for AS/400 development? 

>      Bob still thinks of the AS/400 as a text based green screen machine.
>  That is what is killing it. To many people it is just a dinosaur. 


This is the real problem -- most shops don't need to put their payroll apps 
on 
the web - we don't need Java and websphere and all that.  Most shops I talk
to are a lot like mine - home grown apps, used to be all terminals, now a mix
of terminals and PC using terminal emulation.  

The terminal users are happy; they have a stable, fast, trouble-free 
workstation 
that does not require any maintenance so they can do their heads-down data 
entry.  If you try to take away their terminals, you would have a riot on 
your hands.

The PC users don't do much data entry - just occasional inquiries, light usage
when someone is out.  They are managers and support staff and mostly use
computers for word processing, spreadsheets, creating presentations, etc.

The PC users all have a morbid and irrational fear of green letters on a black
background.  Show them TN5250 and they spend a week in crisis counseling.
But these are the decision makers.  IBM needs to sell a GUI TN5250 like 
NewLook.  It costs thousands of dollars, but it can save your iSeries.  Roll
it out on the PHB's desktop, and he will think you have finally dumped the
dinosaur and are in the 21st century.  NewLook is the terminal emulation that
CA Express should be.  

(Not a NewLook  employee, not even a user (can't afford it), but a fan)

Lance
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