Re: Proprietary Systems...

[Chris Rehm <javadisciple@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard B Baird wrote:

>Does anyone remember HPs stalled attempt at gaining market share from the
>S/36 world?
>
I sure recall that. I was at Comdex and I visited HP and they had an exciting
computer there which I guess must have been a 3000. My business cards probably
said something about me consulting IBM Midrange because we got on the topic
of this S/36 conversion thing.


The salesman was really excited, he told me how I could automatically convert
all my source programs and that every part of the applications I was now
running on S/36s could be run on HP with almost no trouble. I could tell
he knew this was quite an accomplishment.


I was being very honest when I asked him, "Why would anyone want to do that?"


I thought he might tell me about increased performance or cost savings or
something, but I guess he hadn't been trained past the part where it could
be done. He paused for a minute, stumped, and I left.


It's too bad, maybe. Because if I had thought that was useful I'd have kept
it in my toolbox for when it fit someone's need. But I never gave it a thought.


--
Chris Rehm
javadisciple@earthlink.net

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...
...Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other
commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31