Re: Iseries Education and marketing

Yep, I'm with you. Its their dime and I am here to support them. If it means 
taking myself away
from the technology and into something else I will be there for them.  I'm 
merely giving this an
example of what is happening (in some instances) to the platform. Maybe there 
is an IBM'er lurking
that will take heed. We can all see things eroding and this is just an example. 

Vance

--- steema@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> >From your perspective, I wouldn't fight it, if they want to make you  a
> more skilled person, why not?
> 
> >From a technical platform perspective they are wrong. For personnel they
> can get the same person and have them learn RPG at the job.
> 
> 
> 
> > Hi Guys,
> >
> >   I don't think the decision makers want to dig very deep. They are going
> > to look at the the
> > situation from what they perceive is the correct data for a long term
> > platform/erp strategy. They
> > will think because they cannot walk out to a local university and recruit
> > an RPG programmer that
> > the system is dying.   I see this analysis as an argument to justify
> > investing in a new platform.
> > They will probably also reason that older workers will demand better
> > salaries than their younger
> > counter parts.  If you give managment an opportunity to build a case then
> > the platform will get
> > dumped even though there is not really a valid business need.  Maybe this
> > is a symptom of lack of
> > desire to generate value with existing tools? I guess utilizing existing
> > tools is not as glamorous
> > as shiny new shrink wrap.
> >
> >  Vance
> >
> > --- Booth Martin <booth@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> We had this discussion at the New England conference a couple of years.
> >>   A comment was made about going to the back of the room at COMMON and
> >> looking at the backs of the heads to see the "Graying of COMMON".
> >>
> >> So, we went to the back of the room in Framingham and we looked for
> >> ourselves.  That was NOT what we saw.  We discussed what we saw:  The
> >> number of female heads of hair, the number of really young heads of
> >> hair, the number of minorities, and the obvious interest of the
> >> audience.
> >>
> >> We concluded that going to COMMON is a perk, awarded to the senior
> >> staff; the regional meetings like Framingham are cheaper so the
> >> companies send their junior staff, too.
> >>
> >> Last night was the Dallas User Group.  I didn't count, but thinking
> >> back, I'd guess half the attendees were under 35, maybe 40.  (I have
> >> trouble telling ages)  But certainly the meeting was not a gathering of
> >> the old folks.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> steema@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >> > They are totally correct about the age of experienced Iseries workers,
> >> > however, the opportunity exists for a programmer, say a VB person, to
> >> > learn RPG on the job.
> >> >
> >> > More than once, I have seen a PC programmer we were working in express
> >> > interest in learning RPG.
> >> >
> >> >   Guys,
> >> >>   I just had a conversation with my supervisor for about an hour
> >> regarding
> >> >> the future of the
> >> >> Iseries with our company. One of the sticking points that upper
> >> management
> >> >> is using (to justify
> >> >> phasing the platform out) is the "greying" of the Iseries workforce.
> >> There
> >> >> has been discussions
> >> >> about this on this board but, I thought I would just throw this in as
> >> just
> >> >> more fodder.
> >> >> Amazingly, they all agree on  what a great platform it is. They can't
> >> >> complain about its cost.
> >> >> But, I guess any reason is as good as another.   I really think if
> >> IBM
> >> >> wants to insure the
> >> >> survival of this platform they will consider dropping some freebie
> >> systems
> >> >> off at some colleges
> >> >> (give aways are great for marketing. Just ask Microsoft). They need
> >> to do
> >> >> more marketing to show
> >> >> that they are educating a new line of developers (not just in Asia)
> >> but,
> >> >> here where there will be
> >> >> exposure.  Otherwise, the perceptions of the MBA's of the future will
> >> >> always be tainted against
> >> >> the platform.
> >> >>
> >> >>  Anyway, just my two cents.
> >> >>
> >> >>  Vance
> >> >>
> >> >> --
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> >> >>
> >> >
> >>
> >> --
> >> -----------------------------------
> >> Booth Martin
> >> http://martinvt.com
> >> -----------------------------------
> >> --
> >> This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-L) mailing
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> >>
> >>
> >
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> >
> 
> -- 
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