Re: Free OS/400 -- MIDRANGE-L

Well, I don't agree with that. I mean, IBM is a vendor trying to sell us
stuff, right? So we should pretty much keep that in mind. But when IBM says,
"xxx is a strategic technology", I think you can believe them. But it gets
to be naive to think they will keep running with that strategy after it has
failed. A customer would be foolish to buy a technology just because the
vendor says, "It's a part of our long term strategy." We all need to
evaluate whether or not we feel that strategy is one we feel will succeed,
and whether or not we want to be a part of that direction.

Now, when OS/2 was announced, it wasn't IBM that sold it to me, it was Bill
Gates. He did a lot of PR for it saying it was the OS of the future and all
that. I liked the idea that there were two sources for it, just as there had
been for DOS. To me, the concept of an industry standard desktop operating
system that had more than one vendor seemed like a good thing for customers.

But I have bought into a lot of strategic products. I don't think I've been
surprised by IBM's behavior with any of them. But then, I don't think of IBM
as my mom or something. I happen to prefer IBM over just about any other
company in the industry, but that doesn't mean they are family! They are in
business to make money from me. I am in business to make money using their
products.

Don't count on IBM to carry you with their wallet. When you do find a
company that is willing to fund upgrades and new versions for products that
have already failed in the marketplace, I'd recommend selling their stock
short.

Chris Rehm
javadisciple@earthlink.net
If you believe that the best technology wins the
marketplace, you haven't been paying attention.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Leif Svalgaard" <leif@leif.org>
To: <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com>
Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 2:15 PM
Subject: Re: Free OS/400


> From: <mcrump@sgcontainers.com>
> > You'd think I'd know better than to even say anything on a subject such
as
> this.
> > But being that I am so naive I'm going to even be stupid and try to
defend
> my
> > position.
>
> Michael,
> The naive part was NOT in believing that AS/400 is viable or good
technology,
> but was in believing in what IBM says.
>
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