Was RE: Lower End AS400's -- MIDRANGE-L

Hi List,

Konrad Underkofler wrote:

The point is that the canned software vendors of any appreciable
size have pretty much stopped developing green screen RPG
applications. They have all started to move to the Java,
application server market to better serve their customers
and grow their market share. I think IBM has done a great
job in keeping the 400 function alive while migrating to the more
open world of the iSeries and a common hardware platform,
which as long as you buy a big enough box can run just about anything.

I refrained from commenting on this issue (until now :-). ). There are
some things that seem to come out of this thread, and here I am not
pointing a finger at anyone. I know by posting this I am exposing myself
to flaming!

Many have expressed different opinions regarding where the AS400/iSeries
is, is going or should be. This includes developers, third party
application providers and support staff.

I get the impression that the iSeries is being snagged in many different
ways:
1.)	Developers of old code that want to continue as they have for years,
2.)	'New' style developers that perceive (righlty or wrongly)
shortcomings inherent to the system (OS/400)
3.)	The advances that have occurred in the iSeries technology have left
many people 'behind'
4.)	The change in direction i.t.o. the AS/400 to iSeries has left behind
those not privy to strategic decision within IBM.

Hey, the world is changing. And it is still staying the same! I see
customers that still want the advantages (read blessings) of the green
screen environment. I also see others that want future technology based
on the same platform!

Is it possible that IBM has stuffed up? They brought out new technology,
based on old names and want to charge customers differently for which
feature they use. Why not just rebrand radically, or were they scared of
losing the loyal following they have had for years? They are losing them
in any case (and gaining new ones in other areas)! They should have
called the iSeries something totally different. So what if you can still
run S/36 code on it. You can also run AIX and Linux code on it! Why not
brand it totally different as possibly ECS (Emerging Commercial Server),
or some other indeterminate acronym that they are so capable of coming
up with?

What we now know as the iSeries is NOT the AS/400! Sure, they are
compatible, but so were the pre-400 systems with the 400. When one
discusses 'openess, it does not always refer to interoperability.
Sometimes it also refers to disclosure of future direction!

Jan.
An acknowlegded AS/400 bigot, proud of it and have to change!!