RE: Green screen to GUI

My 2 cents

The real problem is that IBM is losing the marketing battle in telling
people how to get from green screen to GUI.  Microsoft has a consistent
(banner waving - if you will) story which is "Do it with .NET".  IBM is
seriously confusing their market because their strategy is:

1. Promote IBM products first (even if they are - excuse the expression -
crap), and 
2. Where they don't sell, promote vendor products (again, even if they are
crap) with the Roadmap.  

IBM does not want to pick winners.  Instead they want to rely on the
strategy that made the AS/400 great from inception.  They want to say they
have more tools available to fit whatever needs a customer might have.
Unfortunately, tools are not the end game like applications were.  Tools are
the enabler of the end game.  By promoting too many tools (thereby confusing
the market), IBM is playing right into Microsoft's hands.

You can easily and quickly develop graphical applications if you use the
right tool.  Here's how one of customers did it:
http://www.mrc-productivity.com/customers/nwd.html

I do work for mrc.

Sincerely,

Sal Stangarone
michaels, ross & cole, ltd.
630.916.0662


-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jeff Crosby
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 8:19 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: Green screen to GUI

There's an interesting discussion on iSeries Network about the perception of
the AS400/iSeries/i5.  In the area of green screen vs GUI, a poster makes
the following observation (pay particular attention to the second
paragraph):

<thepost>

IBM's Developer's Road Map is IBM's way of recusing itself from dealing with
the reality of the green-screen dilemma. Even if you accept the WebSphere
value proposition, there's a chasm between the green-screen environment and
the full-tilt Java/RPG/WebSphere environment IBM wants for its customers.
IBM proposes HATS and WebFacing: HATS is limited use; WebFacing is not much
different than being invited to tie the noose at your own hanging. CGIDEV
won't die, in spite of IBM's bumbling efforts to treat it like an old Eskimo
(push it out on an ice floe and let it die). 

Since the early 70's, IBM has, generally speaking, provided an integrated
solution for midrange customers. Consider IBM's investment in the
S/36-to-AS/400 conversion and the AS/400 S/36 environment, and you have to
wonder how IBM could miss the strategic importance of having a Blue Roadmap
for the moving to browser-based applications instead of throwing the
responsibility out to 3rd parties. I believe moving off green-screen
applications is the most signficant change the iSeries community has ever
faced, and IBM's response has been to stand on the other side of the river,
waving, and saying the water's not too cold.

</thepost>

Until I read the above, I (in the words of the caller to Mr Obvious on Bob &
Tom) had "never made the connection".  It suddenly dawned on me how well IBM
handled things for us S/36 customers going to an AS/400.  It was a complete
solution, end-to-end, at your company's pace, one step at a time, everything
covered to the nth degree.  That's what IBM did, "provide a complete
integrated solution for midrange customers" which is how IBM cultivated such
loyalty, while at the same time, we, as customers, could concentrate on
business solutions.

Contrast that with burger flipping ads.  IBM completely missed what was
needed when it came to green screen to GUI.

Oh well.  Back to work.

--
Jeff Crosby
Dilgard Frozen Foods, Inc.
P.O. Box 13369
Ft. Wayne, IN 46868-3369
260-422-7531

The opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily the opinion of my
company.  Unless I say so.



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