RE: IBM's failure to provide AD tools -- MIDRANGE-L

Jon,

Thank you for your thoughtful comments.  I'm about half-way through my
reply, and I'm afraid it's getting rather lengthy.  (I may need to take a
nap, to finish this one...;-)

I hope you can afford the time to read all of it.  I'm afraid it's one of
those posts that are going to offend everybody, and spare nobody.  It's not
my intention to offend anyone, but I have no doubt that EVERYONE will be
able to find at least one point which is strongly objectionable.  Hopefully
there will be more points of agreement, than disagreement.  But it would be
necessary to read the entire piece, if you want to take it in as a whole.

My overall premise is that what you've said here rings true.  However, IMV,
that merely confirms what I'm trying to say.

jt


"Have a GREAT day...!  And a BETTER ONE TOMORROW~~~:-)" (sm)


> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Jon Paris
> Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 3:24 PM
> To: midrange-l@midrange.com
> Subject: IBM's failure to provide AD tools
>
>
>  >> Thus, the languages and AD tools come out of Toronto...  Now, these
> days, distance means nothing, in theory.  In actual practice,
> your talking a
> wide gap in mindset.
>
> I have to comment on this, although I should admit up-front that I am an
> ex-Toronto (and ex-Rochester for that matter) developer.
>
> In my opinion - these days I find the Toronto crew have a far better
> understanding of what their customers need/want than do most of the
> Rochester developers I meet.  The majority of the Rochester developers who
> really understood what the 400 was all about are retired, or working for
> BPs.  Those who remain are Unix/Linux folks who happen to work on the 400.
> If Rochester had their way there would probably be no RPG (or at least no
> enhancements) there would be no Code/400, no VARPG, no WebFacing,
> etc. etc.
> The Java Toolbox, C/C++ and Ops-Nav would be about all there was.
>
> Following the infamous hamburger ad, it took Rochester a good two years to
> understand that their RPG users could not afford to dump
> everything and just
> leap into Java (ignoring the fact that it wasn't a good idea
> anyway).  It is
> only in the last 12 months or so that they have realized (in some quarters
> at least) that they need to join the Toronto folks in trying to move
> customers forward incrementally.
>
> Of course there are many in Software Group who neither know nor care about
> the 400 - and because of that the 400 crew don't get the funding
> or support
> they need to really do their job.  I fault Rochester for much of this - as
> the platform owner, if they really care about their RPG users
> they have the
> ways and means to ensure that Software Group fully support them.  The fact
> that they don't should tell you something.  The Toronto group
> working on the
> 400 are as dedicated to the platform as any group you'd find in Rochester.
> I know many who have effectively risked their careers by
> insisting that they
> stay in the 400 arena and not work on AIX or whatever.
>
> As I said - just my opinion, but I do at least have some idea what goes on
> behind the scenes.
>
> Jon Paris
> Partner400
>
>
>
>
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