Re: The demise of Midrange Computing - Is AS/400 is dead ?

Hi Al,

I was wondering why you thought MC was "badly managed"?  I'm not agreeing or 
disagreeing with you. I'm just interested in
your opinion. And I'd also like to hear what you would have done different, had 
you been in charge. I'm sure it was easier
for someone outside of the box to look in and see problems that folks on the 
inside who were too caught up in the day to
day grind might have missed, so I'm very interested in your opinion and 
thoughts on this.

Thanks!

Shannon O'Donnell

barsa@barsaconsulting.com wrote:

> The AS/400 is not dead - it's not even sick.
>
> I have been silent on this subject, but now is the time for me to speak.
>
> RANTMODE(*ON)
>
> Midrange Computing died as a part of the fallout of the economy, and a
> marketplace with too many magazines, and too little advertising dollars.  I
> am a partner  of the AS/400 Education Connection (along with Skip
> Marchessani, Marie Finnegan Cronin, Jack Rioni, Dick Grenham, Jim Sloan and
> Dave Prescott), and we had partnered with MC to run our annual conference.
> I predicted to my partners 13 months ago that MC was so badly managed, that
> they would "fold in a year".  So my timing wasn't perfect?  What can I say.
>
> With reference to the AS/400 or iSeries, that is a good business for IBM.
> Although the product is mature and not getting new users, it is a
> profitable business for IBM.  High end users have never been happier,  and
> they keep paying IBM lot$ of money for the product and support.  IBM keeps
> it a secret to minimize their tax liability.  IBM refuses to let the
> iSeries say that they are better then the pSeries, zSeries or xSeries, but
> the fact of the matter is that it is better.  V5R1, which I have been
> fairly public about saying is not as stable as previous RISC releases, is
> getting there.  I'm telling customers that if you have a business reason to
> run V5R1, go ahead.
>
> IBM is paying attention to our open bugs, and is attempting to get them
> fixed.  On the big issues with V5R1, the library list SST/DST passwords and
> the Information Center, IBM has woken up and paid attention.  I did point
> out the fact that these were issues many many months ago, and they are even
> beginning to acknowledge the fact that I did tell them so.
>
> How good is the system.  Well, I hope that IBM gets a dose of stupidness
> and spins them off.  (This is not based on inside information, but merely
> greed on my part.)  Because if IBM were ever silly enough to spin them off,
> I would invest and the iSeries would put the remainder of IBM out of
> business.  Keep in mind, that the evil empire lies about the fact that they
> no longer use the AS/400.
>
> Lastly, the resignation of Malcolm Haines from IBM was unfortunate, but he
> had an opportunity to get a piece of equity in a new startup, and I wish
> him well.  IBM will be hard pressed to get anyone who can market for them
> so capably.
>
> RANTMODE(*OFF)
>
> I feel much better now.
>
> Al
>
> Al Barsa, Jr.
> Barsa Consulting Group, LLC
>
> 400>390
>
> 914-251-1234
> 914-251-9406 fax
>
> http://www.barsaconsulting.com
> http://www.taatool.com
>
>
>                     Pat Barber
>                     <mboceanside@worldne        To:     
>MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
>                     t.att.net>                  cc:
>                     Sent by:                    Subject:     Re: The demise 
>of Midrange Computing - Is AS/400 is dead ?
>                     owner-midrange-l@mid
>                     range.com
>
>
>                     07/31/01 10:04 AM
>                     Please respond to
>                     MIDRANGE-L
>
>
>
> Thanks for reminding me why I keep all my old magazines......and I
> need somthing to clean the Coke off my monitor....
>
> Neil Palmer wrote:
> >
>
> > Oh - and it's easier to read your hardcopy magazine in the can than it is
> > to carry in your laptop, look for a LAN connection, and risk dropping it
> > in the bowl !   ;-)
> >
> > ...Neil
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