Re: Help required to stop this company replacing their iSeries

Well, for one, I've got a client who has been implementing an Oracle 
system for 6.5 years and $14,000,000 now. At this point, the Oracle system 
now contains the General Ledger and the Payroll applications. Everything 
else is still running on a System i. They previously had a model 500, but 
they finally gave in last summer and installed a 520. In the 6 years, the 
staff went from 2 people to 11. Right now, nobody is responsible for the 
520, except to change the backup tapes. They call me when they need help 
with the 520. 

The impetus for this was due to the fact that the CFO wanted to be able to 
click an icon and receive spreadsheets. The former IT guy had neither the 
right tools nor the ability to be able to do that. They have since 
acquired the tools and some technical assistance, and now, the accounting 
department can get what they want from the 520. Many people are now 
questioning the decision and the expenditure to go to Oracle. The CFO is 
pushing ahead because he doesn't want to be embarrasses for making the 
wrong decision. Time will tell as to who lasts longer - the 520 or the 
CFO.

I was at another client this week (also running a model 500), that is into 
year 3 of an Oracle implementation. Same kind of reasoning in their 
decision.

Side note: Last fall I happened to be on a plane, sitting next to the 
personal assistant to the number 2 guy at Oracle. She flat out told me 
that she wishes that Oracle would get out of the application software 
business and stick to the database stuff. She said they use their own 
software to run their business, and that their systems in the headquarters 
office are always having problems.

Try this sales pitch: Tell them that with the right configuration, they 
can run Oracle on a System i. By the way, don't look for much help from 
IBM. They will try to get the services work in implementing the Oracle 
stuff.